

SMS E-NEWS
February 21, 2025
CALENDAR REMINDERS
February 24th-28th: Kindness Closet Donations
March 4th: Spirit Night at Beef 'O' Brady's
March 7th: End of third nine weeks
March 14th: Report Cards available in Power School
March 15th: Simmons Got Talent
March 24th - 28th: Spring Break
Simmons Loves and Appreciates Officer Lopez!
7th GRADE PARENTS
Starting the first week of February 2025, lessons on Erin's Law (sexual abuse prevention) will be taught during one of your student's core class. These lessons are state-mandated and part of our 7th-grade curriculum. Additional information can also be found at www.erinslaw.org.
Please use the link below if you would like your child to OPT-OUT of the Erin's Law Lesson. Please print and complete the form then submit it to the second floor office at Simmons Middle School on or before February 3, 2025.
Counselor's Corner
COMMUNITY SERVICE
Students who complete 60 hours of verified community service will be recognized during Awards Day in May. Community service should be documented on an orange community service card. Community service cards are due to the grade level counselor by Wednesday, April 16th. Cards can be found in each grade level office or each Counselor's office.
FROM THE NURSE
Simmons family,
We are smack dab in the middle of flu season. Please remind your students to be aware of their personal space and to wash/sanitize their hands after coughing or blowing their nose. If your child has a persistent cough that could be disruptive to class, please consider speaking with their pediatrician regarding remedies.
- Students are not sent home for cold symptoms (runny nose, headaches, for sore throats) unless they have a fever. If you feel that your student is in need of frequent pain relievers or cold medicine during this cold and flu season, please pick up (new, unopened) medication from your nearest pharmacy and bring it to the school (students cannot bring in any medication).
All medications must be brought into the health room by an adult. If you would like your child to have Ibuprofen, Tylenol, or other over the counter medication, please bring it in in a new, unopened bottle/package. Over the counter medications do NOT require a physician signature. Prescription medications (ex: inhalers, Epi Pens), must have a medication form filled out with a doctor AND parent signature. - If your student is sick (fever >100.0), please keep them home until they are fever free without the aid of a fever reducing medication for > 24 hours. Please let Nurse Epperson know if your child tests positive for flu, COVID, or Strep.
- Please email (nepperson@hoover.k12.al.us) or send a message through ParentSquare if you have any questions or concerns for the nurse.
PTO NEWS
Don't Forget
GENERAL SCHOOL INFORMATION
ATTENDANCE
Parents must write or submit a doctor's note, take a picture of it, and attach it to an email. The note must include your students legal first/last name and dates of absence to be excused.
Email all excuses to Simmons Attendance Office (smsattendance@hoover.k12.al.us).
Remember to submit an 2024-2025 Anticipated Absence Form
for planned vacations that occur during scheduled school days.
Students have 3 days after returning to school from an absence to bring/email an excuse. Email is preferred.
Parents are only allowed to write 9 notes for the school year.
Once a student reaches 5 unexcused absences, he/she will be placed on the district watch list. Please refer to the HCS attendance policy.
The following are excusable reasons ONLY:
illness
death in the immediate family
inclement weather
legal quarantine
emergency conditions as determined by the Principal/Designee or Superintendent/Designee
ANTICIPATED ABSENCE FORMS - If it is necessary for your student to be gone from school they must complete an 2024-2025 Anticipated Absence Form
and turn it in within 3 days of the absence. There is a section on the form to be completed and signed by the parent, then the student fills in his schedule and obtains the signatures of his teachers, and submits it to the grade level administrator for final approval. Approval is based on the student's grade averages and current attendance record. Please note: if the student only plans to be gone for part of a day, he or she needs to enter the time of checkout, and get the signatures of only the teachers whose classes they will miss. Please be aware that failure to complete this form and turn it in will result in loss of credit for work missed and made up.
NO DELIVERIES - Please make sure your student has all items needed for the school day and any after-school activities before leaving home. The Front Desk cannot accept deliveries for students.
CELL PHONE POLICY - Take a moment to look over our Cell Phone Policy as it has changed a little for this school year.
NO OUTSIDE FOOD ALLOWED ON CAMPUS - As a reminder, students are not allowed to bring food into school from restaurants. Thank you for your cooperation with this matter.
PARENT SQUARE -
Parent Square (PSQ) automatically translates the text for parents. The text language can be changed at any time by following these steps: Web Browser Directions: Log in to Parent Square. Click on your name in the top right corner. Click on "Language Settings" from the menu on the left side panel. Choose your language from the drop-down menu. Click "Save".
App Directions: Log in to the Parent Square (PSQ) App. Click the 3 lines icon in the top left corner. Click "Account" Click "Preferences"
Click "Language"
Click your preferred language
DIGITALLY SPEAKING -
Simmons Football
Hoover High Football
Sails Up Buccaneer Families,
The 2025/26 Football Season is just around the corner, and Coach English is eager to get to work—and so are we! To kick things off, we will hold a MANDATORY Parent Meeting for all current, future, and interested football players.
During this meeting, we will:
• Introduce new BTC Board members.
• Share important details about player expectations, scheduling, fundraising, and parent involvement opportunities.
• Provide essential information to help your athlete prepare for the upcoming season.
Your attendance is crucial to ensure everyone is informed and ready to tackle the season ahead.
Key Dates to Remember:
• Rising Freshmen Parent Meeting:
Monday, February 10th at 6:30 PM in the Competition Gym
• Upperclassmen Parent Meeting:
Tuesday, February 11th at 6:30 PM in the Competition Gym
To streamline our process, we kindly ask you to complete the Google Form linked below and provide the necessary parent information:
Click here to complete the form.
Thank you for your attention and support as we prepare for an exciting season ahead. We look forward to seeing you at the meetings!
As always, if you have any general questions regarding this email, PLEASE REACH OUT TO YOUR CLASS REPRESENTATIVE. Class Reps are listed below. GO BUCS!
Kechia Davis
Director of Communications
CLASS REPS:
Senior- Charvon Lassiter
Junior- Brooke Wright
Sophomore- Jessica Vessery
Freshman- Amber Willock
Attention any 6th or 7th grade students interested in trying out for SMS Cheer:
HCS TRANSPORTATION
Use this link http://edulog.hoover.k12.al.us/liveweb/webquery/ to check bus numbers and routes for the 2023-24 school year.
Substitute Teacher Applications
Substitute Teacher Information
If you are interested in applying as a substitute teacher for Hoover City Schools, complete the Alabama Department of Education’s Applicant Tracking Enterprise website and apply for the Substitute Teacher job posting. Substitute applications will be reviewed periodically based on need. If you would like to see all open positions at HCS, please click here. If you successfully complete your application, apply for the substitute teacher job posting, and are selected, you will be contacted by an HR representative and instructed to complete an HCS Substitute Employment Packet. The following are minimal requirements throughout the application process:
- Alabama State Department of Education online application with three current references
- Valid Alabama professional educator certificate or substitute teacher license
- Copy of driver's license and social security card
- A minimum of two years of college coursework
- ABI/FBI background clearance through Fieldprint (HR will provide additional instructions on how to complete this task)
- Substitute Teacher Orientation to review the HCS Substitute Teacher Handbook and Frontline Absence Management
- Substitute teachers are expected to work a minimum of 6 days per semester; three out of the 6 workdays should be Fridays
If you do not have a current Alabama teaching certificate or substitute license, you will be required to apply for a substitute license. HCS representatives will help you through this process, which typically takes two to four weeks. The initial cost to become a substitute teacher is approximately $85.00 (these costs are for the Alabama Substitute license and the Background clearance).
If you wish to check the status of your substitute license, go to the ALSDE Public Portal site.
The current substitute teacher pay rate is $120/day- A background check with a valid Substitute Teacher's License or an Alabama Professional Educator Certificate is required.
The current pay rate for an Instructional Support Aide (Exceptional Education Aide)/Secretary/Office Aide is $100/day- A background check with a valid Substitute Teacher's License or an Alabama Professional Educator Certificate is required.
If you have any questions regarding substitute teaching with HCS, please call 205-439-1000 and ask for the HR representative who manages substitute teachers.
TRANSPORTATION SUBSTITUTE INFORMATION
If you are interested in becoming a substitute bus driver or bus aide, please contact the HCS Transportation department at 205-439-1120.
Substitute Bus Driver Pay Rate: $90 per day
Substitute Bus Aides: $60 per day
Equal Educational Opportunities
(Board policy, 6.6) No student will be unlawfully excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination in any program or activity offered or sponsored by the Board on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, disability, creed, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, immigrant or migrant status, non-English speaking ability, or homeless status. All career and technical education opportunities are offered to all students regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, or disability. The district also provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups.
Mrs. Claire Jones-Moore, IDEA Coordinator
Mrs. Terri Coleman, 504 Coordinator
Mrs. Natasha Flowers, Title I Coordinator
Mrs. Natasha Flowers, Title II Coordinator
Mrs. Natasha Flowers, Title III Coordinator
Hoover City Schools
2810 Metropolitan Way
Hoover, AL 35243
(205) 439-1000
EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
(Board policy, 5.14.1) The Board is an equal opportunity employer. Personnel actions and decisions will be made without regard to factors or considerations prohibited by federal or state law (as such laws may from time to time be amended), including but not limited to race, gender, gender identity, age, disability, national origin, citizenship, religious preference, pregnancy, genetic information, political affiliation, military service, sexual orientation, or other non-merit based factors. Subject to the limitations set forth in 4.6.2, the general complaint (grievance) policy (4.6.1) may be used to present any complaint alleging unlawful discrimination or harassment. Inquiries regarding compliance and complaint procedures can be directed to:
Mrs. Kristi Williams, Equal Opportunity Employment Coordinator
Hoover City Schools
2810 Metropolitan Way
Hoover, AL 35243
(205) 439-1000