

Nighthawk News
Week of May 20, 2024
Our Vision: The Herbert Akins Road MS Learning Community collaborates to facilitate equitable outcomes and growth through social, emotional, and academic opportunities.
Communication Protocol
Week of May 20, 2024
Nighthawk Families,
Track 1 students will take their EOGs this week! 8th Grade Science is on Tuesday, 6th-8th Math on Wednesday, and 6th-8th ELA on Thursday.
As a reminder Tracks 2, 3, and 4 attend school until June 26th, the last day of their school year. Track 1 finishes their school year on June 3rd.
Please be sure you have checked the EOG/EOC schedule linked below in this newsletter. This applies to all students.
We are excited to share that our school received the Purple Star Award from NC Department of Public Instruction! North Carolina is home to a large population of active duty, guard, reserve, and veteran armed services members, and the state’s public schools reflect that. In 2019, The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction launched the Purple Star Award Designation initiative to recognize the state’s strong military presence and its support for military families. The Purple Star designation is awarded to schools that demonstrate military-friendly practices and a commitment to military students and families.
You should have received an email to take the Panorama Parent Survey. Thank you for your support in assisting WCPSS in hopefully increasing our previously low response rates for this survey. There are multiple uses of this survey to include: metrics of the Strategic Plan, ability to provide perception data for schools for the School Improvement process, and the results are often used to monitor multiple programs in our district and school. You can find the survey here.
Please see below for information about our Memorial Day Event at Herbert Akins Rd MS - The Murph Challenge! We hope you will join us in our dedication to those who have served our country, in particular Navy Seal Lt. Michael P. Murphy.
Please follow us on our school's Facebook page, X "Twitter" account, and Instagram to stay abreast of up-to-date news and reminders throughout each school week. Scroll all the way to the end of this newsletter and click on the buttons to follow us on each platform!
Our Sports Athletic Banquet for all 2023-2024 Athletic Teams is this Wednesday, May 22nd in the theater.
Student enrollment numbers as well as having to provide four tracks determine the number of teachers we are allotted from the school system each year. We ask that our 6th and 7th grade families complete this Student Destinations Form to assist us with planning. Thank you in advance as this will ensure we recommend the correct number as well as the best teachers possible for our students.
End of Year Dates for your calendars:
8th Grade Track 1 - May 31st (Field Day/Picnic/Yearbook Signing); 8th Grade Dance - All Tracks - May 31st 7:00-9:00 PM
6th/7th Grade Track 1 - June 3rd
(Outdoor Stations)
8th Grade Track 3 and 4 - June 21st (Field Day/Picnic/Yearbook Signing)
7th Grade Tracks 3 and 4 - June 25th (Outdoor Stations)
6th Tracks 2, 3, and 4 - June 26th
(Outdoor Stations)
We encourage families to take vacations during track outs to ensure students are in the Nest on instructional days to ensure learning and growth each school year. Here are the 2023-24 school calendar and the 2024-25 school calendar for your planning purposes.
With appreciation for your support and partnership as we continue to #buildournest in Year 2,
Anne Marie Adkins
Principal
Positivity Project at Herbert Akins Rd MS
Tracks 1 - Supporting Others When They Struggle; Tracks 3 and 4 - Kindness
Dear Families,
This week Tracks 1 will focus on Supporting Others When They Struggle. This means when other people are struggling, we do our best to help them out.
Supporting other people when they struggle is a critical part of being human. There are many different approaches to helping people who are struggling. These can include listening while they describe an event and their feelings about it, taking action to help people in need, or simply being there and sitting together in silence. Everyone faces tough days and needs support, and this support leads to a chain of prosocial behavior that makes us feel good about ourselves and our group.
This week, Tracks 3 and 4 will focus on the character strength of Kindness. Kindness means being generous to others, never being too busy to help out, and enjoying doing good deeds for other people.
Kindness is grounded in the belief of a common humanity in which others are worthy of care, attention, affection, and compassion. Kind people think about the needs and feelings of other people and then act to help those people. Kind people are selfless. That is why a true act of kindness is distinct from helping another person in order to simply gain something for yourself. An individual with the strength of kindness helps others because it's’ the right thing to do, not because they expect any reciprocal treatment or gain in reputation.
In addition to empathy and sympathy, the character strength of kindness is indicative of an individual’s moral reasoning capacity and level of social responsibility. That means people who develop kindness possess a strong personal ethical responsibility to care for other people. And, their acts of kindness towards others lead to additional acts of kindness by those who have been helped.
To practice and encourage the character strength of kindness with your child, please visit the Positivity Project’s P2 for Families, where together you will watch a video, read a quote and talk about the answers to three questions.
Have a wonderful week!
Nighthawk Athletic News
This Week's Newsletter can be found here!
End of Year Sports Banquet on Wednesday, May 22.
At the banquet, we recognize each sport from the 2023-24 school year.
Booster Club Memberships
Here is a link to the booster club website where information regarding sponsorships and memberships are available. Herbert Akins Road Middle School Booster Club
Booster Membership Square Site
Please get your friends and enter your team for the 3 v 3 basketball tournament in May! Details linked below
Lastly, if you have any questions or need any help please feel free to reach out. Thank you!
Brent Winston
Athletic Director
Herbert Akins Road Middle School
919-694-8300 ext. 53051
Become a Nighthawk PTA Board Member and serve our school! (Click the form.)
Order Your 8th Grade Yard Sign- Click Below - Extended to 5/20/2024
The Murph Challenge - Memorial Day Event This Thursday
8th Grade Dance scheduled for May 31st from 7-9 pm. Theme is Glow in the Dark.
The 8th Grade Dance "Glow in the Dark" will be held on Friday, May 31st.
This event will take place from 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm in the school Cafeteria.
Volunteers are needed to make this event a success! This is the last dance of the year and the last at HARMS for our 8th Grade Students!!
Volunteers are needed before the event for set up, and after the event for clean up. We will have a DJ playing students favorite hits, Sparks Photo Booth taking pictures, and drinks/ snacks/cupcakes available at no charge for all students attending the event.
In order to volunteer, YOU MUST be registered with WCPSS as a volunteer!! Volunteer sign up is now done online from the convenince of your home. Please DO NOT wait as approval takes time.
Please reach out to herbertakinsmsptasecretary@gmail.com for any questions!
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0E45A5AD29A7F49-48628623-8thgrade
Click the photo to take you to the link to get your ticket!
It's hard to believe that we are already deep into planning for next school year. Planning enrollment is one of the most critical elements to planning a new school year. To have a better idea of student enrollment for the 2024-2025 school year, we would like to know your intentions ( Please note that this is not binding). To assist our team in accurate planning, please complete the following form to the best of your knowledge at this time.
Please select the option that best describes your family's plan for the start of the 2024-2025 school year. As a reminder, the school year for Tracks 1, 2, and 3 begins on July 8th, 2024. Track 4 will start on July 29, 2024.
Apply for School Meals
To apply for free or reduced-price meals, you can do so online by visiting www.MySchoolApps.com. Paper applications will always be made available in our school's front office, or you can call 919-588-3535 or 919-856-2920 to have one mailed to you.
- Application information
- Application information - información sobre la solicitud (Español)
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Frequently Asked Questions - preguntas frecuentes (Español)
- Sample application/Ejemplo de solicitud (Please fill out an original / Favor de completar una solicitud original)
- Meal charges policy | Cuentas de Alimentos
Online Application
- Apply for Free or Reduced Price Meals Online
- Solicitud en línea para las comidas escolares Gratis/Precio Reducido: Español
Meal Benefits Expiration Date
Prior year meal benefits will carry over up to 30 school days in the new school year based on your student's school calendar. Families must reapply every school year if they are interested in receiving meal benefits.
Questions about applying for free and reduced meals:
(919) 856-2920 (English)
(919) 588-3535 (English and Spanish)
cnsmealbenefits@wcpss.net
Free and Reduced-Price Benefits Office fax number:
(919) 856-3704
Herbert Akins Rd MS Track Change Request Form 2024-25
This form will be reviewed through June 2024 if seats come available on tracks. Families will be notified prior to making the change.
We Need You as a Volunteer this Year!
Please take a moment to click here and register NOW!
Nighthawks PTA Information and Updates
Teacher / Staff Appreciation
PTA is getting an early start on collecting gift cards for Teacher / Staff Appreciation this year. Please sign up and add a small gift card to your next grocery store run! Thank you!
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0C4AAEAE2BA7FE3-46949039-gift
Spiritwear Store Link https://1stplacespiritwear.com/schools/NC/Fuquay-Varina/Herbert+Akins+Road+Middle+School