Our Vision: The Herbert Akins Road MS Learning Community collaborates to facilitate equitable outcomes and growth through social, emotional, and academic opportunities.

Nighthawk Families,

• Welcome back Tracks 1, 2, and 3 for the start of the 2nd Semester!

• On Thursday, January 9th, our girls and boys basketball teams will play their home game against Fuquay Varina MS at Willow Spring High School. The boys play at 5:00 PM and the girls play at 6:30 PM. We hope you will join us in cheering on our Nighthawks at Willow Spring High School!

• Class attendance and participation are critical elements of the educational process. Any absences, whether excused or unexcused, can have a negative impact on a student’s academic achievement. Regular attendance must be prioritized and encouraged throughout our school community.

• We want to reward and acknowledge those students who attend school regularly.
• Each month, students with Perfect Attendance (no excused or unexcused absences) will be recognized.
• At the end of each quarter, students with 2 or fewer absences (excused or unexcused) will be recognized.
• If there are extenuating circumstances for your student with regards to attendance, please contact your grade level counselor for support.

• Be sure to get your Harlem Wizards tickets now. See below to secure your tickets! https://harlemwizards.com/schedule-tickets/

• Please read all information in the below newsletter to add to your 2nd semester/2025 calendars!

• Buy Spirit Wear (the PTA receives a portion of sales) - Herbert Akins Road spirit wear, Fuquay-Varina, NC, Nighthawks | 1st Place Spiritwear

• Rent the Spirit Rock (for birthdays and other celebrations)

• 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.

With appreciation for your support and partnership as we continue to #buildournest in Year 3,

Anne Marie Adkins

Principal

Each year, Student Assignment prints and distributes assignment notifications that are sent home with students to notify families of a student’s school assignment for the next school year and the level of transportation the student is expected to receive. All students in grades K-5 and in grades 6-12 without PowerSchool parent portal access will receive printed notifications from their school starting Dec. 16. Track 1 families will receive their notifications by mail.

Families with a Homebase PowerSchool account: Your student will not receive a hard copy of the assignment notification. Families will be able to sign into their PowerSchool account starting Dec. 13 and access this information by clicking on the Next Year Assignment tab. Families should work with their school’s data manager if they need support with their PowerSchool parent portal.

In the Week of January 13th Nighthawk News, a Track Change Request Form will be available for all rising 7th and 8th grade families. If seats come available, the form will be reviewed to see if requests can be met. Parents will be notified by the Data Manager. Requests will be reviewed through the end of March 2025. Families with students on 7-4 will receive a separate Track Change Request Form asking for volunteers to move tracks. If enough families do not volunteer, there will continue to be 6 sections on Track 4 in 8th grade next school year which will impact classroom locations in the building based on availability, having 4 tracks in 8th grade and due to classrooms throughout the building with specific designs for students with special needs and certain elective courses.

Rising 6th grade families will receive an email with a Google Form during the week of January 6th to rank their track choices as track assignments in WCPSS reset at the beginning of middle school. Each families’ choices will be reviewed and every effort to grant first or second preferences will be made; however, there will be circumstances where a families’ third and fourth choices will have to be utilized.

Please be sure to read and review all detailed information on the specific Google Forms when you received them by the dates noted above.

The Nighthawk Ambassador Program is a student leadership program at Herbert Akins Road Middle School sponsored by the School Counseling team. The role of the ambassadors will be to assist incoming and newly enrolled students in their transition to our Nighthawk school community. Additionally, they will serve as leaders and role models within Herbert Akins Road Middle School.

Please complete this application by Friday, Jan. 31st to be considered:

Nighthawk Ambassador Application

Please check out this week's Nighthawk Athletic Newsletter .

To prepare for future seasons ~

Click here for the video on how to do athletic physicals

*Check out our NEW athletic paperwork/physical Google Doc for information on how to load all paperwork on DragonFly

Brent Winston

Athletic Director
Herbert Akins Road Middle School

bwinston@wcpss.net

919-694-8300 ext. 53051

Now's the time to order a yearbook for your student and SAVE. https://bit.ly/3B8oAKd

The yearbook is a record of moments in time for your student. Order today for $55.00.

JOSTENS PAYMENT PLAN: Spread out the cost of your yearbook order with three interest-free payments.*

Meal Benefits Expiration Date HAS PASSED - Please see below.

Families must reapply every school year if they are interested in receiving meal benefits.

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

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

The 2024-2025 PTA is very excited about this upcoming school year!

• Please join the PTA so that you can receive communications throughout the year (we promise to keep them to a minimum!) regarding school dances, fundraisers, Teacher Appreciation events, family fun nights, and more!
• Join here: Join the PTA - HERBERT AKINS RD NIGHTHAWKS PTA (weebly.com)

• Buy Spirit Wear (the PTA receives a portion of sales) - Herbert Akins Road spirit wear, Fuquay-Varina, NC, Nighthawks | 1st Place Spiritwear
• Rent the Spirit Rock (for birthdays and other celebrations)
• Find information on volunteering for events
• If you have any interest in joining a committee this year, please contact Alex Jamieson at herbertakinsmsptapresident@gmail.com.

Alex Jamieson, PTA President

Please take a moment to click here and register NOW!