Heartland MS Family Newsletter
Heartland Happenings - November 17, 2024
I hope that you are enjoying a relaxing Sunday. Last Monday, we hosted an all-school assembly in honor of Veterans Day and it was tremendous, to say the least! It's really a heartfelt occasion for me to get to honor those that have served as I come from a family of Air Force Veterans and my parents were able to attend and be recognized. I have the extraordinary privilege of working in an education industry that is only made possible through the sacrifice of those who have fought so we can be free. We started our morning with a reception for our guests and welcomed them into the gym with a standing ovation. We honored them with beautiful artwork from our art department, performances from our orchestra, band, and choir programs and ended the assembly with a slide show and a special playing of "Taps." 1000+ students, 100+ staff and 80+ esteemed guests! What a special moment to witness! I want to commend our students for their exemplary behavior during the assembly! Out of respect for those in attendance, we told them our expectation for behavior and they rose to the occasion! I can't say enough words about how amazing our students are! Thank you to all that played a part in such a monumental moment!
As we look forward, Thanksgiving Break is upon us. We have one more week before our students are off for a week to spend time with family and friends! As Thanksgiving approaches, it is natural for us to feel a great appreciation for all that is special in our lives. As I tell my faculty often, no matter how much we may be struggling with the ups and downs of being an educator, there is always someone or something to be thankful for. I'm thankful for the students, staff and families that I get to serve within this Heartland community everyday! I encourage you all, in this season of Thanksgiving, to give thanks and be kind!
Just so that you are aware, there will not be a family newsletter next Sunday (11/24). I plan to unplug and enjoy some time off with my family. Please look forward to the next newsletter that will release on Sunday December 1st. As always, should you have any questions, ideas or suggestions please feel free to reach out to our office!
WE ARE...HEARTLAND!
Respectfully,
Veronica Johnson
Principal, Heartland Middle School
405-340-2972
Deck The Heartland Halls - 2024
It's tradition at the Heart for us the celebrate the Winter season big!! The first of each December, we start our "Deck the Heartland Halls" celebration and continue until we release for Winter break! Door decorating competitions, dress up days, Winter assembly, and much more! Feel free to view the link below to plan and prepare for what is sure to be the best celebration yet!
Afternoon Parent Pick-Up
Just a reminder, if you are going to pick up your student at the end of the day you must do so before 2:00pm. Our front office is really busy trying to tie up loose ends, fielding lots of phone calls and ensuring that all messages have been delivered to students. It has been hard to accommodate the parents that want to pick up their child right before the dismissal bell.
Additionally, please be sure to pick up your student on the South side of the building via the car pick up line. Many parents are making alternate accommodations for their child to meet them on the East side of the building near the tennis courts, in Frontier's parking lot, and even in ACTS 2 parking lot trying to avoid the car pick up line. I promise you, the line goes very quickly and there is ample supervision so that we can ensure that all of our Hawks are safe. Please ensure that you are following our procedures and guidelines.Thank you for your understanding. Ms. Johnson
ATHLETIC ELIGIBILITY
Now that we are in the process of running eligibility for OSSAA activities - there always tends to be some confusion as to when a student can and can not participate. Here are some bullet points to help define when a student can and can not participate.
- Eligibility is run mid-week. For example - we run eligibility on Thursday morning based on grades posted on Wednesday evening. If a student is listed as "ineligible" - that means they can not participate in any OSSAA games scheduled for the next calendar week of Sunday - Sunday. By OSSAA rules - students can still practice during that time. However, individual coaches may have other team rules regarding practice.
- Probation vs. Ineligible. The first week a student has a grade that qualifies them for the eligibility report - they are listed as "on Probation"... At that point in time - they can still participate and play in games. (Again - team rules may be more strict) If the student raises the grade by the next eligibility report run - their name comes off the list and they are good to go. If there is still a grade in question - the student becomes ineligible.
- If a student is listed as ineligible - AND - raises their grade (yay!!) the next time there is a grade in question -- they move back to the probation category. Therefore, there is always a week of grace after a student has worked to get their name off of the list.
Please feel free to contact Heartland Athletic Director Laura Brown with questions as I know it can be confusing.
Bus Information
Click the link and enter your address to find your bus number, bus stop, and pick/drop-off times.
Meal Pay Online and Free Reduced Applications
Add money to your child's lunch account HERE. Apply for free or reduced lunch: CLICK HERE TO APPLY!!
Child Nutrition Website
Heartland Middle School
Veronica Johnson - Lead Principal
Laura Brown - Asst. Principal, 8th Grade/Athletic Director
Dana Williams - Asst. Principal, 7th Grade
Paul McQueen - Asst. Principal, 6th Grade
Kim Treece - 7th Grade Counselor
Neika Jackson - 8th Grade Counselor
Cara Bowerman - 6th Grade Counselor
Email: heartland.middleschool@edmondschools.net
Website: https://heartland.edmondschools.net/
Location: Heartland Middle School, Explorer Drive, Edmond, OK, USA
Phone: (405)340-2972
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heartlandmiddleschool
