The Weekly Update #4

Dear Falcon Students anf Families,

Welcome to the 2024-2025 school year. I am so excited to be your principal at HTM. For many starting the new school year can be scary. Incoming 7th grade students are not only starting middle school, but they are also starting school in a new school district. For returning 8th graders, this might seem easy but some may feel anxious about being an 8th grader and what that brings. Do not fear! We are here to help you have a great first day and an amazing year of learning. Wednesday, July 24 will be an exciting day. Take deep breaths and remain calm. It'll be a great day!

Starting Great on Day 1

As we start the year, please remember to be kind in how we arrive or drop off and pick up students. To avoid hassles, please arrive early to school. School gates are open at 7:00am. Only students will be allowed to enter the campus. Please park at the east parking lot and walk to the main office if needing to come on campus. Also, please honor the bus driveway by not driving through it. It makes our bus drop-off that much more dangerous when cars other than staff drive through it. In addition, please refrain from parking in the marked handicap parking spots. Thank you for honoring this request. Please read the section below on this newsletter about dropping of students.

Bell Schedules and Important Dates

Please read the sections that pertain to Bell Schedules, especially for the first three days. Also included are all the different schedules for the year. Please also review the "Dates to Remember" to plan the year accordingly. Note that each bell schedule has a different end times. Schedule E is only used for the first day of school and the end time is 12:55pm. Schedule D is used only a few times over the course of the year. It is used for the two subsequent days of the first day of school. The end time is 12:58pm. The most important bell schedules are Schedule A and B as they are used for 95% of the school days. These bell schedules are also on the website and in the Student and Parent Handbook.

California Universal Meal Program in Schools

California is the first state to provide free meals to all students regardless of income. All students will be able to eat for free (one breakfast and one lunch). Students can eat at the cafeteria. Students will need their Student ID number to get their free meal. If they want a second helping, they will have to pay for it. As the students figure out the lunch lines, they may take longer to get through; however, do not fear, we will make sure that all students get through the lines and will receive their food. Note: students may tell you that we ran out of food. We do not. Many times, students will say because they did not get the food they liked such as pizza. If you have any questions, please contact admin.

Completing Student Registration

Please ensure that proof of residency and/or immunizations have been submitted. Please take time to complete this process. See below on what is required. Contact our amazing registrar, Maria Quintero at maria.quintero@sweetwaterschools.org.

Class Changes Requests

At this times, counselors will NOT be able to change classes as they have a 10-day window to meet the SEA contractual deadline for student contacts, which is by the 10th day. If you are requesting a class change, please read the section below on requesting class changes.

Safety Protocols for Visiting our Campus

It is important that anytime parents/guardians come on campus to visit or to request a student to leave campus, parents/guardians are required to show a valid government ID. Please be sure to have valid government ID when arriving on campus.

ASB GEAR

Falcons, PE clothes and ASB Spirit Gear available for purchase. Sales are Cash Only.

The ASB Store is open on the following days:

• Monday, July 22: 1:00pm - 3:00pm
• Tuesday, July 23: 1:00pm - 3:00pm
• Wednesday, July 24: 1:00pm - 3:00pm
• Thursday, July 25: 1:00pm - 3:00pm

Pre-purchased items may also be picked up during time frame above. Remaining pre-purchased items will be delivered to students the first week of school.

HTM Weekly Dress Calendar

Monday is Business Casual Day

Tuesday is Sports Jersey Day

Wednesday is Wellness/Kindness Day

Thursday is College Gear Day

Friday is Wear Falcon/Blue Gear Day

Falcon Flight Information

If interested in participating in the Before and After School Falcon Flight program, please read below for information.

2024-2025 Registration and Transfer Approval

Please review registration information and transfer approval information below for the 2024-2025 school year to ensure a smooth transition into the next school year.

Finally, please read all the important information regarding HTM provided in newsletter. Please be sure to read all the information on the images provided so that you know as much information as possible.

Let’s have an awesome school year Falcons!

Sincerely,

Ms. Galvez-Mallari

Principal - Ms. Galvez-Mallai, Assistant Principals - Mr. Toms and Ms. Cheers

In an effort to support weekly dress suggestions, below is the "general" description of each day to guide students in outfit selection. Wednesday Wellness/Kindness shirts and College Gear shirts available at ASB for purchase. HTM Flacon Spirits also available for purchase at ASB.

General Information

• Morning Program from 6:30am to 8:05am
• After School Program from end of school day to 6:07pm
• Program Requires enrollment to Falcon Flight

Before & After School Activities

• Clubs

• Athletics

• Cheer

• Dance

• Music

• Cooking

• Falcon Flight Fun Room

• New activities added based on student surveys

Fall Sports | HTM

• Boys and Girl Basketball
• Softball
• Baseball
• Cheer (All Year)
• Cross Country

Winter Sports | HTM

• Boys and Girls Soccer

Spring Sports | HTM

• Co-Ed Flag Football
• Girls Flag Football
• 7th and 8th Grade Girls Volleyball
• Boys Volleyball
• Girls Field Hockey
• Track and Feild

Or visit https://sites.google.com/sweetwaterschools.net/falcon-flight/home

Students, Parents and Guardians,

For the next 10 days, the counselors have been given a directive from me to do three things during school day:

• Correct any errors on students' current schedules.
• Adjust the master schedule as needed.
• Balance classes as mandated by teachers' contract. Deadline is the 10th day.

If your child wants to change classes/period/electives in the first 10 days, they need to follow this protocol:

• They can come to the counseling center before school, nutrition break, lunch or after-school
• Fill out a “request to see a counselor” form. Please help us by making sure that students are in the correct classes and in the correct grade level when they come to your class.
• Email their counselors about the change of requests.
• Any change of classes DUE to a medical issue will require a doctor's note with a potential for a 504 accommodation.

Thank you for understanding.

2024-2025 Registration for School is now Open

Families,

Below is the registration process for 2024-2025 school year. Below are the links to the regisration information at the site and district levels;

• Hilltop Middle School Website - Registration Information
• SUHSD Student Services Website - Registration Information

First Day of School for the 2024-2025: July 24, 2024

ATTENTION!!! RETURN TO PRE-COVID IMMUNIZATION REQUIREMENTS WILL BE ENFORCED

Starting the 2024-2025 school year, ALL STUDENTS must have submitted complete immunization records BEFORE the first day of school. No immunizations or incomplete immunizations will result in not being able to go to classes on Day 1. Please plan ahead so that this is not an issue on July 24, 2024.

TRANSFER STUDENT INFORMATION

Are you intending to transfer to HTM? If so, follow the steps below:

• Click on the School Locator Finder to see which is your feeder middle school.
• If you are not from Castle Park, Cook, Kellogg, Greg Rogers, Halecrest, Hilltop Drive or Rosebank, begin at your home school to start the registration process.
• Once you have your activation key for Campus Portal, complete the registration process for your school. Then, in Campus Portal, you can put in your application for an intradistrict transfer to HTM.
• Click HERE to read the Parent Letter on the Transfer Process.For Spanish, click HERE
• Click HERE to access Campus Portal.
• Click HERE to learn how to apply for a transfer to HTM.
• Click HERE to learn the Transfer/Open Enrollment Flowchart for 2024-2025. For Spanish, click HERE.
• Click HERE for Transfer/Open Enrollment FAQs. For Spanish, click HERE.

CURRENT 7TH GRADERS WHO WILL CONTINUE AS 8TH GRADERS

• Click HERE to read the steps to register your current 7th graders to continue as 8th graders.

ALL NEW 7TH AND 8TH GRADERS ENROLLING FOR THE FIRST TIME

Registration and enrollment into HTM MUST FIRST begin the process by providing a 2024-2025 Household Form, and submit the form electronically here. When submitting a form electronically, make sure to follow instructions indicated and that all requirements apply before sending the form.

Don't wait for your registration and enrollment to be completed. Choose your electives now to save your spot in that elective. Click HERE to learn about our available electives. You can also choose your 7th grade elective by completing this ELECTIVE FORM.

To complete your child’s 2024-2025 registration process, you must provide the following documents, in person only, on one the dates listed:

• Residency Affidavit
• Proof of Residency/Address
• Proof of Immunizations
• Student's Birth Certificate
• Copy of Parent/Caregiver Picture ID
• 2024-2025 Online Registration Summary (from Parent Portal account)
• IEP (if applicable)
• 504 (if applicable)
• Transfer Approval (if applicable)

• Complete all sections on both sides of the Household Form
• Provide proof of transfer approval
• Click here to begin registration process

It is our collective expectation that everyone on campus will uphold the cell phone use policy as outlined in the district's board policy as well as in our handbook:

1. Upon entry, all cell phones must be turned off and placed in the backpack.
2. If a staff member directs a student to put it away, please listen and put cellphone in backpack.
3. Cell phones are not allowed in the bathroom. If students are caught with cellphone in the bathroom, the phone will be taken immediately and must be picked up by the parents. NO EXCEPTIONS.
4. If a staff member takes a cell phone away, they will give it back to student at the end of each period UNLESS it warrants being taken to the main office.

Gina Galvez-Mallari, Principal

Email: gina.galvez-mallari@sweetwaterschools.org

Website: htm.sweetwaterschools.org

Location: 44 East J Street, Chula Vista, CA, USA

Phone: 619.498.2700