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 to the 2nd Quarter on Monday, September 30th for Tracks 1, 2, and 3! Q1 Report Cards will be sent home on Friday so please be sure to review your student's report card with them.

• Track 4 will be on track out until Monday, October 21, 2024.

• School Cash Online is the new way for parents to pay for most school activities such as field trips online. We need all families to create an account so you can pay for your student field trips, NJHS, etc. online. Please use the instructions below to create your account so you can see your students and any activities attached to them.

  
  

  English Link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pm30oAhTy63oUhLZ8Vzu28IxF2mMgEqb/view

  
  

  Spanish Link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1cCYPcJavxbC6vApNop_70riIEqNC6IMy/view

• Please see below in the Athletics Section for this week's game schedule.

• The 6th Grade Social has been rescheduled for Friday, October 18th from 3:30-5:30 PM. Tickets are on sale and detailed information was sent to families on Friday, September 27th via Talking Points.

• 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)

• Volunteer Renewal closes October 1st!

  As a valued member of our volunteer community, we would like you to renew your volunteer status for the 2024-25 school year.

  The volunteer renewal process is quick and simple for all volunteers who were approved for the 2023-24 school year. The renewal window is now open through Oct. 1, 2024. Go to the MyVolunteer Volunteer Renewal site to renew your volunteer status today! Log into your MyVolunteer account and follow the directions for Volunteer Renewal. The process should only take a few minutes. Once approved, the renewal date in your MyVolunteer profile will be updated.

  All 2023-24 approved volunteers received an email on July 1 from no-reply@criminalrecordcheck.com with a link to renew your approved volunteer status for the 2024-25 school year.

  If you have any issues during the renewal process, contact the MyVolunteer customer support team at 877-272-0266 or customercare@mycrc.com

• 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

Dear Families,

This week, our school community will focus on the Other People Mindset of Knowing That My Words and Actions Affect Others, which means having an awareness that everything that we say and do can affect others — and our relationships with them.

Whether we speak, email, text, or post, our words and actions can have a positive or negative effect. The words and actions we choose can lift others up or bring them down, and they also impact us. When we all think carefully about our words and actions and show respect and care for those around us, we create a happier and healthier community.

To practice and encourage this Other People Mindset at home, please visit the Positivity Project’s mobile-friendly P2 for Families. There, you can watch a video, read a quote, and discuss three questions together.

Thank you for your continued support!

Hi HARMS Families,

My name is Amber Williams and I am the District 8 Board Advisory Council member for our school. Our first meeting was Monday Sept 23. We reviewed the Wake County Strategic Plan.

We went over the 7 goals and the 3 strategic priorities.

Goal 1: By 2028, WCPSS will annually graduate 98% of their students.

Goal 2: By 2028, 90% of WCPSS students will meet or exceed grade level proficiency.

Goal 3: By 2028, 90% of WCPSS schools will exceed the statewide average for growth and 100% of student subgroups will exceed the statewide average growth.

Goal 1, 2, and 3 fall under Priority 1 (Student Knowledge and Skills). We did a walk around to view and compare Wake County's data from the past 2 year. It was great to see the growth and what they are doing to make sure our students continue to grow.

Goal 4: By 2028, WCPSS will ensure 95% of all students are in attendance at least 95% of their days.

Goal 5: By 2028, 90% of WCPSS students will demonstrate the social-emotional competencies.

Goal 4 and 5 fall under Priority 2 (Student Dispositions and Well-Being)

During the walk around we were able to see how students are more aware of their "self". We also saw the data that compared absences with the lack of growth.

Goal 6: By 2028, 95% of families surveyed will indicate low barriers to engagement and positive school climate.

Goal 7: By 2028, WCPSS employees will respond, agree or strongly agree to questions associated with employee satisfaction, engagement, and wellness.

Goal 6 and 7 fall under Priority 3 (Operational Effectiveness)

During the walk around, we noticed the amount of bus drivers, teachers and IA's still needed in Wake County.

Overall, this meeting opened my eyes on the data in the county and how they are continuing to improve this data each year. I was also impressed with how many compliments Mrs. Adkins and her school received. I am proud to be a NightHawk.

Our next meeting is Nov 18.

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 $45.00.

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

Please checkout this week's Nighthawk Athletic Newsletter .

Sept 30 - Oct 4

Game Schedule

All games start at 4pm

🏈FOOTBALL

Wednesday at Holly Grove

🏐 VOLLEYBALL

Monday at Holly Grove

⚽ GIRLS’ SOCCER

Tuesday at Holly Grove

📣 CHEER

Wednesday at Holly Grove

We need your assistance! Please sign-up to work concessions at a NC Courage Game here. All proceeds (and tips) benefit our Athletic Booster Club.

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

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 Community Partnership Mapping Initiative is a strategic effort to compile a contact list and mapped database of new and existing community partners. Through this initiative, WCPSS stakeholders can share specific needs and will be connected with the community partners that have the ability to provide the needed resources or services.

Once approved by WCPSS staff, your organization's profile will appear in a mapped database that will be accessed and used by district staff, school administrators, social workers, and counselors. The information you provide will not be made available to the public.

This form is specifically for nonprofit organizations, religious organizations, and private foundations that provide goods and/or services to individuals or school communities. If you represent a business vendor, grantor, or if you are an individual volunteer, please review our vendor approval process or volunteer clearance process.

The Community Partnership Mapping Initiative aligns with Aim 12 of our Strategic Plan, which aspires to "Build strong relationships among staff, families, and community organizations in order to share resources and promote well-being." This aim reflects our commitment to Priority 2: Student Disposition and Well-Being. As noted in Core Belief #6: "The Wake County residents value a strong public school system and will partner to provide the support and resources to fully realize our shared vision, accomplish the mission, and sustain our core beliefs." Thank you for joining us in these essential efforts. We appreciate your support!

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. Examples of committee positions are:
• School Dances
• Fundraising
• Teacher Appreciation
• Audit
• Spirit Nights
• So much more! Do you have special interests? Let us know! We probably have a committee for it! :)

Thank you so much, and we look forward to a FUN and awesome school year!

Alex Jamieson, PTA President

For Math this school year, did you know this is what your student needs to know by the End of Grade Test?

Mathematics Achievement Descriptors – Grade 6

• Apply use of scale factor to solve multistep real-word ratio problems in context;

• Solve multiple unit conversions of different quantities in the ratio (converting and manipulating measurements);

• Create and use a table to solve real-world problems, using pairs of values from a coordinate grid;

• Solve multistep real-world problems involving the quotients of fractions in context;

• Solve real-world multistep problems, using long division involving a minimum of four-digit dividends, and interpret the meaning of remainders in context;

• In multistep real-world mathematical word problems, add, subtract, multiply, and divide decimals using the standard algorithms;

• Find the greatest common factor in real-world context of two whole numbers less than or equal to 100, and use the distributive property to rewrite the sum of two whole numbers;

• Find the least common multiple in real-world context of two whole numbers to add and subtract fractions with unlike denominators;

• Interpret how ordered pairs relate to each other on the coordinate plane;

• Use coordinates and absolute value to find the distance between points with the same first coordinate or the same second coordinate, using real-world situations (map);

• Use models to add and subtract integers in multistep problems involving real-world contexts;

• Write and evaluate algebraic expressions that include whole numbers, fractions, exponents, and decimals, using mathematical reasoning to develop a proper sequence of steps;

• Apply and describe properties of operations to generate equivalent expressions involving exponents from real-world situations;

• Use multiple substitutions to determine whether a number makes an equation or inequality true involving exponents;

• Apply and use variables from real-world contexts to model and analyze the relationship between dependent variables and independent variables;

• Given three vertices and the perimeter of a polygon, determine the ordered pair of the missing vertex on the coordinate plane;

• Use nets to find the surface area of right prisms and right pyramids with fractional or decimal side lengths in real-world problems;

• Analyze and compare attributes of different representations of the same data;

• Use data and graphical representations of data in real-world context to analyze measures of center and spread.

Mathematics Achievement Descriptors – Grade 7

• Interpret the meaning of the y-coordinate of the ordered pair (1, r) as it corresponds to the unit rate;

• Use scale factors and unit rates to solve multistep ratio and percentage problems involving fractions, decimals, and unit conversions;

• Solve real-world and multistep mathematical problems that involve different forms of rational numbers;

• Determine the most efficient expression or equation to solve a real-world mathematical problem;

• Solve multistep real-world problems involving circumference and area of circles using π;

• Solve multistep problems using supplementary, complementary, vertical, and adjacent angles;

• Solve real-world problems involving volume and surface area of composite figures;

• Compare and find the difference between experimental and theoretical probability;

• Use a simulation to generate frequencies for compound events;

• Use lists, tables, tree diagrams, and simulations to determine the probability of compound events.

Mathematics Achievement Descriptors – Grade 8

• Apply the values of expressions involving square roots and cubed roots to the tenths and expressions involving π to the hundredths to solve real-world problems;

• Apply properties of integer exponents to generate equivalent expressions;

• Solve multistep equations involving square roots and cube roots;

• Solve multistep linear equations and inequalities involving complex fractions and decimals with the same variable on both sides;

• Compare properties of two linear functions that could be represented in a different way to solve real-world problems;

• Write an equation in slope-intercept form to model a real-world situation;

• Solve multistep angle-relationship problems (for example: shapes involving expressions for angles or finding the value of the angle or angles after finding x);

• Using the Pythagorean theorem, find the perimeter or area of a figure;

• Find the volumes of composite figures;

• Given a volume, find a missing dimension;

• Predict (using interpolation and extrapolation) using the line of best fit;

• Given a two-way table with relative frequencies (and table filled in with decimal values), determine the values that describe the real-world situation;

• Given a real-world scenario in paragraph form, construct and interpret a two-way table and its relative frequencies.

More details to come in following weeks to help families better understand passing criteria for each of the tests as the criteria is not the same for all tests.

Please take a moment to click here and register NOW!