It's hard to believe we’re only three weeks away from the end of the first semester! Our students have faced challenges in the classroom and have done an outstanding job so far. In the coming weeks, teachers will continue introducing new material while reinforcing previously learned skills to help prepare students for their semester exams. To find out how you can support your child at home and stay informed about all the exciting events happening in December, be sure to read the newsletter below. Thank you for your continued support and dedication to our students. Go Cats!

Clayton Farrell

Principal Hallsville Junior High

In previous newsletters, we shared information about potential changes to our drop-off and pick-up procedures due to the renovation project at Bobcat Stadium. At this time, the district has decided to postpone those plans.

Until further notice, we will continue with our normal drop-off and pick-up routines using the gym parking lot.

We appreciate your patience and understanding as we work to keep things running smoothly. Thank you for your continued support, and have a wonderful rest of your week!

3rd Hallsville Christmas Parade

5th Boys Basketball @ Mt Pleasant

5th Girls Basketball vs Mt Pleasant

6th Picture Retakes

6th-7th Boys Basketball Tournament - Hallsville High School

7th Yearbook Christmas Movie Night

7th UIL Math/SC Meet

10th Beginner Band Concert

12th Kona Ice

12th Choir Carols in the Park

14th Girls Basketball Tournament (Home)

14th Boys Basketball Tournament @ Lufkin

16th Boys Basketball vs Texas Middle

16th Girls Basketball @ Texas Middle

16th HISD Board Meeting

17th Tennis vs Spring Hill

17th Choir Concert

19th Choir Caroling (During School Day)

20th End of MP2

20th 9 Week Reward (Advisory Party)

20th Early Release

21st Christmas Break

*Please join SportsYou located at the bottom of our newsletter for complete schedules and game locations

*Students must be accompanied by a parent/guardian in order to attend home events

*Details of these events listed below

The Ladycats are all undefeated so far in district play going 2-0! On Thursday, December 5th they will be playing against Mt.Pleasant at home! On Saturday, December 14th the Ladycats will host a tournament here in Hallsville with first game starting at 8:30am! We hope to see y'all there!

Bobats:

The month of December will be a busy one for the JH Boys Basketball teams. All 4 teams will be playing in a regular season game in Mt. Pleasant the Thursday (12/2) after Thanksgiving Break, and then immediately jumping into the Mark Godwin invitational tournament in Hallsville, where all teams will play 2 games on Friday (12/7) and 2 games on Saturday (12/9). The next Saturday (12/14), both the 7th Grade and 8th Grade A teams will travel to Lufkin to compete in a tournament. The following Monday (12/16), all 4 teams will finish out the first semester by playing Texas Middle School at home. There will be plenty of opportunities to come out and show your support for these young men as they work hard to improve their talents and teamwork in the early part of this season!

HJH’s theatre is proud to present this year’s one act play, titled The Comedy Of Errors. A traditional Shakespearean comedy with a non-traditional cast! Two sets of twins get seperated at a young age by a shipwreck. After the boys grow up, the first set of twins goes looking for their brothers. When they unknowingly end up in the same town, people that they’ve never met before talk to them like friends, sisters, and even wives. After a wild goose chase, an arrest, some sword-fighting, and a huge case of mistaken identity, will the brothers figure out what is going on? Or will they leave without ever meeting their other halves? Make sure to come out and support your HJH Theatre department at one of our shows! Free contest performance on Saturday, December 14th at HHS @1:30pm and a free public performance on Monday, December 16th at HJH@6:30pm. We’ll have you seeing double!

Join us in watching Elf @ 6:0pm and Home Alone @7:45pm on Saturday, December 7th. Doors will open at 5:45pm to the HJH Auditorium. Cash donations to Hallsville Junior High Yearbook are welcomed!

All UIL event practices are in full swing! We have many students that are competing in events that they were in last year but there are also tons of students that are trying out things that they’ve never seen before. We’ve proud that so many students have put themselves out there to try something new! Before students leave for Christmas break, they and their parents will receive an email with instructions and information for the remainder of the season. If you have any questions please feel free to contact the event coach or the UIL Coordinator, Mr Gerald (mgerald@hisd.com).

The District meet will be held at Hallsville Junior HIgh on Saturday, February 1, 2025. We will be in need of volunteers to assist in monitoring students throughout the day. More information will come out in early January. Please mark your calendars to make sure that we have our entire team in attendance.

On behalf of The Hallsville Outreach Center, Junior Honor Society members, and Mrs. Salazar, please accept our thanks!! With your contributions, the outreach center RECEIVED 1,200 food items. When we delivered the food, the workers said that they thought East delivered a lot, but they had never received as many donations from one group as they received from the junior high! Their shelves are full for both Thanksgiving and Christmas! Thanks again! Our winners in the competition are:
Mrs. Emerine’s Advisory: 426
A close 2nd: Ms. Mayes: 265

This month contains the day with the least sunlight in the entire year. In honor of the shorter days, this month's Book Club theme will be --- Short Days --- Short Books.
If you want to participate, Mrs. Winters is asking you to read a book between 64 and 150 pages. You'll need to sign up through the link in your advisory calendar and meetings will be held the week before Christmas break. If you have any questions, go see Mrs. Winters in the library.

This year, HJH will administer Semester Exams in place of benchmark assessments. It is crucial for students to attend school and to be well-prepared for these cumulative exams, as the data gathered will help teachers identify specific areas for targeted intervention in preparation for the upcoming STAAR testing in the Spring. STAAR assessments are scheduled for April, and our MOCK Exams will take place earlier, beginning with RLA on Tuesday, January 28th. As a result, there will be no RLA semester exam this month. Thank you for your continued support of our students and their academic success.

*An update has been provided on last year's HJH yearbook: they are currently being printed, and a delivery date will be provided upon completion. Parents, keep an eye out as we continue to receive updates. Thank you for your patience as we continue to work with the company on producing these yearbooks for students.

This semester, we’re excited to introduce an Advisory Party to celebrate students' hard work and achievements. At the end of the grading period, students will enjoy part of their incentive within their Advisory classrooms and the remaining time socializing with their grade level. To earn a ticket for this event, students need to meet the following expectations: pass all classes, maintain good attendance, and demonstrate positive behavior on campus. This is a wonderful way to send students off for the holiday break, and we know they won’t want to miss it! Please encourage your child to stay on track with these goals so they can join in the fun. Thank you for your support!

HABIT 4: Think WIN, WIN

HJH is utilizing The Max to encourage and reward students to be proactive in their academic and behavioral habits. The Max is a dedicated space where students can spend time during lunch and advisory if they are selected by their teachers for consistently demonstrating both leadership qualities and responsibility in their learning. This initiative not only reinforces habits that will promote success, but it also rewards students for their efforts, benefiting them in multiple ways!

The school day starts at 7:50am and ends at 3:35pm. At 7:45am, students will be released from the gym to their classrooms, and morning announcements will start at 7:50am. Attendance is taken every period at the Jr. High. Any student arriving late or leaving early will be marked absent for the periods that he/she misses. All absences, full or partial day, require documentation to be excused. If a student misses more than 20 minutes of a class without valid documentation, the student will be considered absent for this purpose.

When a student is absent and returns to school, he/she MUST bring a note signed by the parent explaining the reason for the absence or a note from a doctor. Any absence of more than 5 consecutive days for illness will require a statement from a doctor verifying the illness. Parent notes must be turned in within 3 days of the absence.

*Any documentation needing to be turned in can be done so through the reception desk, attendance office, or emailed directly to Mrs. Dorsey at bdorsey@hisd.com.

Save the date. The 8th grade dance is in its early planning stages. Thank you to the 8th grade parents for getting together and getting the ball rolling on this event. More details to come as we move closer to May.

If your child is needs extra support in a classroom we have opportunities for them to receive assistance outside the school day. Teachers are available before and after school for tutorials. Even if the day you can bring your child early or pick them up late doesn't match with their teacher's tutorial schedule, someone in that department can help. Please contact your teacher if you feel your child needs the extra support to be successful this school year.

• Getting enough sleep is critical for a child to be successful in school. Children who do not get enough sleep have difficulty concentrating and learning as well as they can.

• Set a consistent bedtime for your child and stick with it every night. Having a bedtime routine that is consistent will help your child settle down and fall asleep. Components of a calming pre-bedtime routine may involve a bath/shower, reading with them, and tucking them in and saying good-night to them.

• Have your child turn off electronic devices well before bedtime.

• Try to have the home as quiet and calm as possible when younger children are trying to fall asleep.

• Insufficient sleep is associated with lower academic achievement in middle school, high school and college, as well as higher rates of absenteeism and tardiness. The optimal amount of sleep for most younger children is 10-12 hours per night and for adolescents (13-18 year of age) is in the range of 8-10 hours per night.

Today’s children have grown up with a vast array of electronic devices at their fingertips. They can't imagine a world without smartphones, tablets, and the internet.

The advances in technology mean today's parents are the first generation who have to figure out how to limit screen time for children. While digital devices can provide endless hours of entertainment and they can offer educational content, unlimited screen time can be harmful.

The Negative Effects of Too Much Screen Time

Whether you keep the TV on all the time or the whole family sits around staring at their smartphones, too screen time could be harmful. Here's what some of the research says:

• Obesity: Too much time engaging in sedentary activity, such as watching TV and playing video games, can be a risk factor for becoming overweight.

• Sleep problems: Although many parents use TV to wind down before bed, screen time before bed can backfire. The light emitted from screens interferes with the sleep cycle in the brain and can lead to insomnia.

• Behavior problems: Elementary school-age children who watch TV or use a computer more than two hours per day are more likely to have emotional, social, and attention problems.

• Educational problems: Elementary school-age children who have televisions in their bedrooms do worse on academic testing.

• Violence: Exposure to violent TV shows, movies, music, and video games can cause children to become desensitized to it. Eventually, they may use violence to solve problems and may imitate what they see on TV, according to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

• Establishing Family Rules With Electronics

• Here are a few household rules you might want to establish to curb screen time:
  

• No digital devices during family meals.

• No screen time in the car.

• No screens allowed in bedrooms.

• No electronics use during family fun nights.

• https://www.verywellfamily.com/the-negative-effects-of-too-much-screen-time-1094877

• https://www.verywellfamily.com/technology-vs-parenting-4690680

Resources:

● Website: Common Sense Media: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/

● Article: Why it’s never too early to teach your children about social media: https://www.parents.com/parenting/better-parenting/advice/why-its-never-too-early-to-teach-your-child-good-social-media/

● Article: Teens aren't socializing in the real world. And that's making them super lonely: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2019/03/20/teen-loneliness-social-media-cell-phones-suicide-isolation-gaming-cigna/3208845002/

● 20/20 Special: ScreenTime, Diane Sawyer:https://6abc.com/technology/abc-special-challenges-families-to-rethink-screen-time/5282005/

● Scholastic Article: How to set smart screen time rules: https://www.scholastic.com/parents/family-life/parent-child/how-to-set-smart-screen-time-rules.html

● A wealth of developmental skills (by grade), articles, clips found on this website: Parent Tool Kit: https://www.parenttoolkit.com/topics/social-and-emotional

Over the last couple of weeks, our focus has been on gratitude. We will take a look at the theme of giving as we move into the holiday season. Studies are now showing us that the act of giving actually releases feel good chemicals which leads to happiness. In other words, people who tend to give tend to be happier. Throughout this article, we want to share some videos about the power of giving.

https://youtu.be/O9UByLyOjBM

As counselors, we know that the holiday season can look and feel very different for everyone. As we look at mental health, we are forced to acknowledge the fact that simple acts of kindness towards another person can lead to a more positive mood and better overall life quality. What’s interesting is that the human race seems to be hard wired to help and give to each other. One experiment showed that when given the option of getting something for themselves or getting something for their parents, kids over and over again chose their parents.

https://youtu.be/mk0e0ru2N9c?si=omufcX2uc1YLJ1lj

As parents, you have an important role in helping your child become an overall amazing person. Teaching them to give and facilitating opportunities to give is one way that you can encourage kindness and foster happiness in your child. We want to encourage everyone to provide opportunities for your family to give over the holiday break, whether it’s through time, service, money, or just a helping hand to a family member or friend that needs it.

Happy Holidays!

Mrs. Roberts and Mrs. Cole

HISD looks to a have a GREAT year in 2024-2025! Attached is a copy of the HISD calendar.

• Teachers will ask that phones be turned in class.
• Phones may be used in the hallway before/after school, during transition, and in the cafeteria during lunch.
• No cell phone used in the hallway during instructional time.
• Devices used for other purposes will be confiscated immediately and the following fees will be charged:

• First offense: Student may pick up from the office at the end of the school day.

• Second offense: Parent must pick up from the office (no charge).

• Additional offenses: $15 fine for every incident thereafter and parent must pick up from the office.

• Any items not collected after July 1,2025 will become property of Hallsville Junior High.

Parent Drop-off/Pick-up:

The map below has instructions for parent pick-up and drop-off. Please make sure you enter in the correct locations and stay in line. The first couple of weeks will be hectic. Thank you in advance for understanding and being patient as we work to make these processes as efficient as possible for our students.

Car Tags for parent pick-up will be passed out during Meet the Teachers or afternoon pick-up on the 1st day.

Parent Drop-Off:

• Gym Parking Lot
• Do not enter via Bobcat Lane once the parking lot is already full
• Enter through the stadium home side parking lot on Rob Street
• Doors open at 7:15am, no students should be dropped off prior to this time
• Students will enter through 100 hall doors located above the gym and make their way to the gym
• After 7:50am, students should be taken to the main entrance
  

Parent Pick-Up:

• Gym Parking Lot
• Do not enter via Bobcat Lane once the parking lot is already full
• Enter through the stadium home side parking lot on Rob Street
• School dismisses at 3:35pm and once all staff is in position we will begin calling names. It is important that you have a car tag in your window to maximize efficiency with this process
• If for some reason your child does not come to your car, please pull your vehicle across Bobcat Lane to our stadium parking lot and our Officer will help locate your child and get them to you safely
• This allows for our flow of traffic to continue as we work to get all students home safely
• At 3:55pm all students remaining at pick-up will be escorted to the front of the building and you may pick your child up from there

7th/8th Grade Boys Athletics:

• 8th Grade Boys begin their day at the fieldhouse and may be dropped off in the fieldhouse parking lot
• 7th Grade Boys end their day at the fieldhouse and may be picked up at the fieldhouse parking lot
• ONLY Boys Athletics may be picked up or dropped off at this location

*Students may NOT be dropped off or picked up anywhere other than these locations

Bullying:

is unwanted, aggressive behavior among school aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time. Both kids who are bullied and who bully others may have serious, lasting problems. Bullying can threaten students’ physical and emotional safety at school and can negatively impact their ability to learn.

In order to be considered bullying, the behavior must be aggressive and include:

• An Imbalance of Power: Kids who bully use their power—such as physical strength, access to embarrassing information, or popularity—to control or harm others. Power imbalances can change over time and in different situations, even if they involve the same people.
  

• Repetition: Bullying behaviors happen more than once or have the potential to happen more than once.

Bullying could include actions such as making threats, spreading rumors, attacking someone physically or verbally, and excluding someone from a group on purpose.

Harassment:

means threatening to cause harm or bodily injury to another student, engaging in sexually intimidating conduct, causing physical damage to the property of another student, subjecting another student to physical confinement or restraint, or maliciously taking any action that substantially harms another student's physical or emotional health or safety.

Parents and Guardians,

We are reaching out to bring your attention to an important new policy change that has been passed by the 88th Texas Legislature and will be taking effect immediately in our district.

House Bill 114 (HB 114) has been enacted to respond to the increasing concerns around e-cigarettes, vaping, marijuana, and THC related products amongst our youth. The Bill mandates that any student found in possession of, under the influence of, selling, gifting, or delivering these substances within a 300-feet radius of any school premises, will be immediately removed and placed in a Disciplinary Alternative Education Program (DAEP).

You can access the full version of the Bill here: https://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/88R/billtext/pdf/HB00114F.pdf

Please take a moment to discuss the implications of this new law with your children, emphasizing the importance of adhering to school policies and laws for their own welfare and for the betterment of the school community as a whole.

Thank you,

HISD Administration

Website: https://www.hisd.com/Domain/9
Location: 1 Bobcat Lane, Hallsville, TX, USA
Phone: 903-668-5990
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HallsvilleJH/