Hofius Headlines

I hope you all had a wonderful 3-day Labor Day weekend, surrounded by family, relaxing, and doing all the things that bring you joy. As we gear up for the week ahead, here are a few important updates:

Jeans Days This Week

Due to the long weekend, we’ll have two jeans days this week:

• Tuesday: Sunshine members may wear jeans.
• Friday: Everyone may wear jeans with a nice top for Picture Day instead of a spirit shirt.

Important Reminders

Emergency Contact List
Please fill out the Emergency Contact Form if you are new or need to update the information provided last year. Please complete this by September 6th.

Grades Are Due
Make sure your grades are updated and completed in Skyward at this time.

2024-2025 Exchange Days
Mark your calendars for January 6th and February 12th. Employees can print their portfolios from KickUp to show proof of Exchange Day hours. Please turn into Rima.

Nominate a Hofius Hawk Student of the Month

We invite you to use THIS FORM to nominate an exceptional Hofius Hawk student who exemplifies our core values. We will recognize one outstanding student from each grade level.

AM Tutorials
If you are hosting morning tutorials, please update this Morning Tutorials Form. This will help our front office staff as they assist students entering in the mornings.

Hawks Spotlight Form
Please fill out the Hawks Spotlight Form to be featured in next week’s newsletter. This is a great way for us to continue building community and getting to know our Hofius Family better!

Morning Duty Rotation
Starting Tuesday, September 3rd, teachers in GREEN will be on morning duty. Please check your duty location here.

Hawks Weekly Feedback Form
Remember to fill out the Hawks Weekly Feedback Form. We truly value your input, and the admin team reviews your feedback every week to gather insights and make necessary adjustments. Your voice is essential in helping us improve and maintain our vision of excellence.

Thank you for your continued dedication and hard work. Let's make this week another great one!

Together We Soar,
Ally Zamora

September

4 - MAP Math

4 - Fall Open House

5 - MAP Reading

6 - MAP Make-Ups

6 - Student/ Staff Fall Picture Day!

11 - MAP Science / Biology Released STAAR in Eduphoria

12 - Social Studies Released STAAR in Eduphoria (8th graders only)

12 - Coffee Bar provided by PTO 8 - 11am

13 - ELLevation Forms due for Core-Content teachers

24 - Mandatory Faculty Meeting w/ Dr. McGown

Dress Code Update

First-period teachers, it is imperative that you submit the discipline form for any students observed out of dress code in your first-period class. Consistency is key, so please ensure this step is taken. We ask that you do not call out or send any student out of the room; this is to protect both you and the student. Admin will call students down to the office based on the names submitted on the form.

Updated Dress Code Criteria:
We have updated our dress code wording for what classifies as "short" for shorts, dresses, etc. Instead of mid-thigh and fingertip length, we now use "knuckle length" as the standard. This change is in response to feedback from the community and staff. If you are in doubt about whether a student's attire meets the dress code, please submit the form, and admin will make the final determination.

Discipline Form Feedback:
We’ve heard your feedback that the discipline form is too long for dress code infractions. We will review this during our admin meeting this week and will communicate any adjustments we make to the form.

Open House: September 4, 2024 from 5:30-7:00 pm

Our open house will be where parents go from class to class with a bell schedule. Please have your slide deck ready to go for the evening. Parents will be excited to meet you and some may want to share concerns or needs about their student. To help with that, please direct them to the sign-in sheet, where they can request a conference so you may discuss in private and provide your full attention to everyone.

Please have your sign-in sheet printed and ready. You may choose to make your own if you don’t want to use the template provided.

Open House slide deck: You may use this template or create your own with the information requirements in the template. It should force you to make a copy, if not, please do! The slide deck should also be posted to your Schoology page.

At the end of the night, an announcement will be made regarding a quick faculty meeting at 7:00. This is just to help get the parents to wrap up conversations and head out of the building.

Since it is a Wednesday, we will be in professional dress.

Also, dinner will be provided by TSTA that night (thank you, Ms. Jackson!)

"Mrs. Lindquist has been showing ambition by creating activities for her students that get them engaged and ready for 8th grade! She has also been building those relationships and greeting every study as they walk into her classroom. She is a team player and always willing to lend a hand to anyone in need."

"Erin has gone above & beyond to help her PLC soar with the new science standards! She has spent several personal hours on helping her team and our students be successful on a daily basis. I am so grateful for her work and her mindset that it is always WE not me!!!"

"We are thankful for Mrs. Lindquist leadership on our campus. Mrs. Lindquist has truly stepped up as a PLC Lead, guiding her 8th-grade team through a year filled with new challenges, especially with the updates to the Science curriculum. Her student-focused approach and unwavering support for her teammates have been invaluable."

What do you enjoy doing in your free time?

Spending time with my family, cheering on the Astros, and traveling

What's a memorable moment from your teaching career?

My first year in Texas I was teaching at a school in HISD on the north side. I had a 3rd grade boy who could not read for summer school. By the end of summer, he read "Blueberries for Sal" and was able to understand what he read! I celebrated him with a Blueberry Festival and he had his first fresh blueberry and his first blueberry frosted Poptart. He kept in touch with me through 8th grade and he has a very special place in my heart.

What's a teaching tip or hack you swear by?

I'm old school, but writing out plans in a planner before turning it into a digital "official" plan really helps me stay organized.

Do you have any pets? Tell us about them!

I have a rescue dog named Cooper (short for Cooperstown). He is a mix of Chihuahua, Terrier, and Mystery Breed. When we were fostering him, I took him to our vet who told me he would be 10 lbs. max but he is not 1 1/2 years old and 20 lbs.

What's one thing most people don't know about you?

I grew up in Indianapolis and worked for a photographer for 8 years. I attended the wedding of Reggie Miller (NBA player), met countless Indy 500 drivers, and was at the concert when Julia Roberts accepted the marriage proposal from Lyle Lovett as the photographer was hired by Lovett to photograph the event.

What's you favorite movie or TV show and why?

Friends because I remember it starting my last year in college and all of us gathering around to watch it. Then I moved to Texas and met people, including my husband, by getting together to watch it.

Faculty & Staff,

Due to technical issues beyond the control of our campus and district, we will moving MAP test dates back a week. This will also allow teachers additional time for training, setting up test sessions, inputting accommodations, etc.

* MAP/TIA Testing & Teacher Training Updates: MAP/TIA test dates have been moved to the dates below. For bell schedules and other information, please visit bit.ly/HofiusTesting

Aug. 27th - Teachers go to Room 2101 during their conference period for required MAP/Eduphoria training with Ms. Lacy.

Aug. 28th - Sept. 3rd - Teachers set up their test sessions, enter students' accommodations, etc. Ms. Lacy available for support if needed.

Sept. 4th - MAP Math

Sept. 5th - MAP Reading

Sept. 6th - Make-Ups

Sept. 11th - MAP Science / Biology Released STAAR in Eduphoria

Sept. 12th - Social Studies Released STAAR in Eduphoria (8th graders only)

Sept. 13th - Make-Ups

We want to make sure we celebrate our students at every opportunity and keep them up to date with all the Hofius Happenings! Please help us recognize and inform our students by submitting this form with any announcements you’d like to share during Hawk's Nest!

If you have paid your Sunshine Dues, please go by Ms. Green's room, 1304, to pick up your sticker so that you can wear jeans on Mondays with a college or spirit shirt.

Also, please fill out this form if you paid or are going to pay the Sunshine fees so that we know how to celebrate you throughout the year!

Hofius Principal