Heartland Family Newsletter

Greetings Heartland Thunderhawks -

Welcome to the 24/25 school year! After what feels like a VERY short summer - it's time to starting getting ready for the start of the school year! Can you believe that it is only 4 days away? I am so very excited to welcome all of our Heartland Thunderhawks! The teachers are all back and we had a BLAST getting to know each other and celebrating a fresh start to the new school year!! Our first day with both new teachers and returning faculty was a success and I can't tell you how AMAZING it is to be in the building - getting ready for kids! Camp Thunderhawk was a hit and our WEB kiddos knocked it out of the park!! What a WONDERFUL few days it has been!!

Additionally, I want to spend a brief moment talking about schedule changes. It's a good reminder every year that our counseling team spends a BUNCH of time making sure that students receive a schedule that works well and is as accommodating to requests as possible. Our classes are full for sure. Remember, the computer decides what team a student is assigned to which will determine the core teachers a student has. For the most part, schedule changes are not possible. An exception to this would be if we have inadvertently left off a performing art class like band, orchestra, or choir - please let us know and we will fix that immediately.

We recognize that in order to be successful in school, our students need support from both the home and school. We look forward to building a strong partnership with you to make a lasting impact in your student's education. Here are some simple starting points to get the school year off to a GREAT start:

1. ENCOURAGE your student to attend school daily and arrive on time (doors open at 7:10a with school starting at 7:40a)
2. ENCOURAGE your student to share the school experience with you so that you are aware of their school life.
3. ENCOURAGE your student to inform you or us if they need help in any subject or with friends in their class.
4. ENCOURAGE your student to dream about what they want from life as they prepare for this next school year.

This newsletter may be a bit lengthy but it will have lots of information that many of our incoming 6th grade parents need to know. Be sure to scan through all of the information so that you can stay informed! As always, should you have any questions, ideas or suggestions please feel free to reach out to our office.

We'll see you soon Thunderhawks!! WE ARE...HEARTLAND!

Veronica Johnson

Principal, Heartland Middle School

Providing a Safe and Orderly Environment is a Primary Concern at The Heart!

Our aim is to make the drop off & load line before and after school even safer with your help.

Morning Drop Off Procedures:

• When arriving in the morning, do follow the traffic circle to the south entry of Heartland. Your student may exit their vehicles along the sidewalk on the north side of the drive where Heartland supervisors are directing traffic. Please do not allow your student to exit your vehicle until you have reached the front of the line and are directed to do so. Students have 2 choices once they have entered the building: 1.) students can report directly to their advisory class until advisory begins at 7:40 OR 2.) students can report directly to the new cafeteria for breakfast and then directly to advisory after they have finished their breakfast.

• As directed by our educators, pull up all the way to the front. We will be using the left & right lanes for vehicle departure.

• Students being dropped off at school may arrive after 7:10 am. Our educators arrive on duty at 7:10.

• You will not be allowed to enter the parking lot area to drop your student off. Please stay in the drop off car line.

• No students will be allowed to be dropped off at the North Entrance (bus loop).

Afternoon Pick Up Procedures:

• Our dismissal bell rings at 2:20pm. Our students take a few minutes to get to the car rider area. You may expect the line of traffic to begin moving at approximately 2:25 pm.

• As directed by our educators, pull up all the way to the front of the line between the car line supervisors. Our students will watch for you and will walk to where you are stopped.

• Please do not make arrangements with your student to pick up in any other area besides the South side pick up line. In the past we've had parents try to pick up in the East parking lot or at ACT 2 Methodist Church. Those areas are not supervised and we want to ensure that all students are properly

Thank you in advance for maintaining a safe loading and unloading area for our Thunderhawks.

When each of us are on campus, we are an adult that our students look to as an example. Continue to be kind and courteous to fellow drivers, educators, and our students.

• Water Bottles - We encourage students to have a water bottle with them each day. We do have water bottle filling stations in the school and will work with your student to make sure they have access to bottle filling when it is needed. This year, we will not allow anything other than water in the classroom.
• Chromebooks - All students will utilize a Chromebook as an instructional tool. If your student is new to Heartland or will be entering the 6th grade - we will issue those Chromebooks on or around the first day of school. All returning students should make sure that they have their Chromebook charged up and ready to go for the first day.
• Backpacks - We will not be using lockers at Heartland Middle School. After the last few years - we found out that it saves us so much trouble with hallway issues and tardies. Additionally, we do not have enough lockers for every student to have their own. Therefore, we encourage all students to have a backpack of some type. A question that comes our way deals with rolling backpacks. Yes - your student may use a rolling backpack if they would like.
• When can my student enter the building? - Doors open for car rider and bus entrance at 7:10am. At that time - all students will proceed directly to the cafeteria for breakfast or to their Advisory class. Students will not be able to congregate to socialize. Remember, school starts promptly at 7:40am.
• Band/Orchestra/Sports Equipment - Students will work directly with their coach or director as to where to put equipment when they enter the building.
• Textbooks - There are very few - if any - classes that will use a textbook that the student will transport. We have moved to classroom sets. Therefore, please note that this is one less thing for students to negotiate that we all had to deal with when we were in school. Remember that old social studies book that was always REALLY big and you hated to carry around? That's a thing of the past...
• School Supplies - Yes - there is a school supply list for Heartland (see above). Students may bring their supplies on the first day and will give them to their advisory teacher.
• Dress Code - This tends to be the time when people really ramp up the back-to-school shopping. Additionally, you've waited all summer for that last growth spurt so you don't buy clothes that are immediately too small. I completely get it. As you go forth into the world of shopping for your students - please remember that "weekend attire" and school attire are not always the same. Please keep comfort and modesty in mind. To read the full dress code policy, please click the button below.

Similar to last school year, Heartland Middle School will be releasing 24/25 class schedules virtually on August 7th (early release) and on August 9th (second schedule release). Follow the steps below to ensure that you receive your students' schedule as soon as possible.

Steps to Receive Your Students' Schedule on Schedule Release Days:

1. New to Edmond - Complete the online general enrollment.
2. Returning to Edmond & New to Edmond - Complete the Annual Update through the parent portal if you have not done so already.
3. Future 7th Parents Only - Submit Tdap immunization information to immunizations@edmondschools.net.
4. New & Returning to Edmond - Submit your utility bill (Electric, Gas or Water) with a July or August service date by either scanning/taking a picture and filling out attaching it to the following google form.

Third Schedule Release -- August 13th

To have a student schedule released via email on August 13th - parents must have all information above completed by 3:00pm on 8/13.

*** Please remember that all information, shot records, and fines must be up to date or paid prior to having a schedule released.

Mark your calendars for Heartland Middle School Walkthrough Information Day:

2nd HMS Information Day Tuesday, August 13th - 4:00pm - 7:00pm

• Walk Your Schedule
• Meet Our Heartland PTO
• Purchase/Pick Up Your Pre-Ordered Thunderhawk Gear
• If your July/August utilities and Annual Update are submitted by 8/13 @ 12:00pm, you will receive your schedule by 3pm the afternoon of 8/13. This will allow you to participate in the 2nd MS Information Day.
• New To Heartland Parent/Student Information Meeting in the Media Center from 6pm - 7pm.

You may remember earlier in the summer we sent out a questionnaire regarding your preference for your 8th-grade student as to whether they wanted 8th Grade Spanish/German, Great Books, or Computer Applications for this upcoming year. The results from that questionnaire are universal throughout the district. Parents predominantly wanted their students to take Spanish I or a World Language of some sort.

With the majority of our parents at Heartland requesting Spanish - we are letting the computer randomly assign who are rostered to this class. That means that schedule changes between the 3 classes will not be possible. Should you have any questions regarding the selection process - please contact Ms. Brown who will be the 8th-grade administrator for this year.

Hello, parents of future 7th graders! As we return back for the 24/25 school year, I wanted to make you aware of Oklahoma immunization requirements for students before entering 7th grade. All 7th-grade students will need to have documentation of a Tdap vaccine on file - this is typically given between ages 10-12 and serves as a “booster” to the DTaP vaccine given at an earlier age. Students will not be able to attend classes without proper documentation submitted to our nurse or immunization office.

Alternatively, you may complete an Oklahoma Vaccine Exemption form and return it to the school. Please email all immunization records to: torie.moore@edmondschools.net or immunizations@edmondschools.net.

Heartland Middle School has retired the locker use. Not using lockers has eliminated the majority of class tardy issues, hallway behavior issues, and having to leave the room because a student forgot something in their locker. We will certainly continue to offer room locations for athletic and music equipment drop-off. Please keep this in mind as you purchase school supplies for the 24/25 school year. A backpack or binder to carry items from class to class is encouraged. (Rolling backpacks are certainly ok).

Students in Grades 6-12 who live within the EPS boundaries and reside one and one-half miles or more from their schools are eligible for district transportation. Occasionally, exceptions can be made. A contract for the Code of Conduct must be signed by the parent and the student as one condition of eligibility. Generally, bus stops will be made within two to six blocks of a student’s home, depending on the age of the student transported. The maximum distance that a student should walk to a bus stop is set at one half (1/2) mile.

Click THIS LINK and enter your address to find your bus number, bus stop, and pick/drop-off times. For additional transportation information, click the following link: Transportation Webpage.

Without proper nutrition, it’s difficult for a child to succeed. Edmond Public Schools provides students with access to a variety of affordable and appealing foods that meet students’ health and nutrition needs. Menus, menu prices, free and reduced meal applications and more can be found by visiting our Child Nutrition Website. Add money to your child's lunch account HERE. Apply for free or reduced lunch: CLICK HERE TO APPLY!!

Honesty - Being truthful in what I say and do

Enthusiasm - Expressing interest and excitement in what I do

Attentiveness - Concentrating on the person or task before me

Resiliency - Recovering from adversity and finding the inner strength to withstand stress

and do my best

Tolerance- Demonstrating respect for others who do not share my perspective

Leadership- Knowing the way. Going the way. Showing the way.

Accountability - Accepting responsibility for my actions

Nice- Dude. Be Nice!

Discipline- Choosing behaviors to help me reach my goals and finish strong

Email: heartland.middleschool@edmondschools.net
Website: https://heartland.edmondschools.net/
Location: 4900 Explorer Dr, Edmond, OK, USA
Phone: (405)340-2972