Hunt Middle School
Parent Newsletter - Week of March 23, 2020
eLearning Reminders
- Link to Hunt Middle School eLearning plans for all teachers/courses.
- FISD Library/Literacy Resources
- FISD Frequently Used Online Resources
- The FISD eLearning plan is designed to be asynchronous, meaning students don't follow a specific schedule (like a bell schedule at school) every day.
- It is usually helpful to have your student check the Canvas announcements before emailing a teacher.
- If a student is consistently spending more than 75 minutes per class per week, please contact the appropriate teacher(s). (This time guideline was adjusted and really begins the week of March 23.)
- Structure and consistency are very necessary for many students to work and learn. Establishing a standard time to get up, eat meals, complete student work, and relax will help students adjust to this change and transition back to school when the time comes to do that.
- Teachers may use the following methods to communicate with parents/students: FISD email, Google Hangout Chat, Canvas Messaging/Announcements, Canvas Conferencing, Zoom, and Remind 101 or other anonymous phone call/text services.
- As we move further into the eLearning format, teachers will use more and more discussion posts, video, and live video conferencing. Please talk with your student about following FISD's Netiquette Guidelines.
- The March 15 and March 16 newsletters have great basic information for parents that may have missed them.
Here are some important changes/updates being made to our eLearning plans/guidelines:
- The deadline for all lessons/activities from this past week (March 16-20th) has been extended to 11:59 pm on Sunday. This deadline will remain the same as we continue eLearning to help support our families with monitoring their child’s work completion, to assist with working parents, and households with multiple children.
- The eLearning instruction for the week of March 23rd-March 27th will focus on new content and standards. Please note teachers will begin tracking student progress on completed assignments based on the activities submitted through eLearning. I will work with teachers on ensuring we have a clear process for communicating student progress.
- The eLearning lesson plans for the upcoming week will be posted on campus websites at 12:00 pm on Monday for the week.
- The Monday schedule and virtual office hours have been revised to reflect time for teacher collaboration and lesson preparation. Virtual office hours for accessibility are:
1:00-3:00 pm on Monday
9:00-11:00 am and 1:00-3:00 pm Tuesday - Friday
- RAIL will be available during afternoons and evenings Tuesday-Thursday for student assistance. Here is a flyer with additional information.
Technology Support
- Students should never share their passwords with others. Likewise, a student should never log into someone else's accounts. If a student ever needs to change their password, they should go to the Student Portal and search for Password Change. They can reset it themselves.
- If you need support with an FISD issued device or electronic service, please contact the FISD tech support helpline: 469-633-6222.
Free/Low Cost Internet Connectivity for Families in Need
- FCC agreement stating that providers will waive late fees, not cutoff service for lack of payment, and open hot-spots.
- Comcast COVID-19 response: offers free WiFi for 2 months to low income families plus all Xfinity hot-spots are free to the public during this time
- Charter Free Internet offer for 2 months
- AT&T COVID-19 response: offers open hot-spots, unlimited data to existing customers, and $10/month plans to low income families
- Verizon COVID-19 response: no special offers, but following the FCC agreement.
- Sprint COVID-19 response: follows FCC agreement, provides unlimited data to existing customers, and, starting Tuesday, 3/17/2020, will allow all handsets to enable hot-spots for 60 days at no extra charge (I expect others will follow).
- T-Mobile COVID-19 response: follows FCC agreement, plus unlimited data to existing customers, and, coming soon, will allow all handsets to enable hot-spots for 60 days at no extra charge (I expect others will follow).
Frisco ISD has made wireless internet available at the following locations so students may upload/download assignments after completing them at home (see map below):
- Allen ES- front driveway/parking lot coverage
- Anderson ES- back of campus, parking lot near POD 1 and 2
- Career and Technical Education - SE & NW part of building
- Corbell ES- front driveway/parking lot coverage
- Gunstream ES- front driveway/parking lot coverage
- Heritage HS- front-right wing and SE part of building
- Lone Star HS- West and NW part of the building
- Ogle ES- front driveway/parking lot coverage
- Rogers ES- front driveway/parking lot coverage
The goal is for all sites to be operational by Friday afternoon, 3/20.
If Your Child Receives Special Education or 504 Services:
- Parents of students receiving SPED services should communicate directly with their case manager and/or teacher.
- Students on a 504 plan should communicate directly with the teacher. If you have a specific question related to the 504 process or need information on your child's 504, please contact the 504 coordinator, Kelli Watters (wattersk@friscoisd.org).
- If the teacher, case manager, or 504 coordinator (504 students only) are not able to address your concern, you may contact an administrator (A-K Last Name: Dr. Chevalier chevalierm@friscoisd.org; L-Z Last Name: Mrs. Williams bobov@friscoisd.org).
Counseling Services Available During eLearning/School Closure
We want to make sure Hunt students' Social Emotional Needs are met while they are experiencing school in a drastically different way. We encourage parents and students to reach out for support, but the counselors only work virtually during the school day and are available from 9-11AM and 1-3 PM. If you or your student are experiencing an emergency or have a need outside of these hours, please call 911 or the appropriate organization for help. The counselors will continue to support students virtually in a way that is as similar as possible to a typical school day. Please complete the appropriate form if you need support from the counselor:
- Request to virtually meet with Mr. Stevens (last name A-K).
- Request to virtually meet with Mrs. Gaddis (last name L-Z) .
There are also many great resources on the Hunt Counselor's Website to support families. Here is a great SEL lesson on Growth Mindset for parents and students to do together.
HMS Social Media and Websites
Please follow our social media pages for ongoing information about Hunt.
Facebook - Hunt Middle School
Instagram - hunt_middle_fisd
Twitter - @Hunt Middle
HMS Counseling - Website
Hunt PTA - HMS PTA Website
HMS Contact Information
Email: hunt@friscoisd.org
Website: http://schools.friscoisd.org/campus/middle-school/hunt/home
Location: 4900 Legendary Drive, Frisco, TX, USA
Phone: 469-633-5200
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Hunt-Middle-School-523106827769099/
Twitter: @HuntMiddle