Husky Howl

The end of quarter 1 is in sight! Soccer and cross country are drawing to a close and basketball is ready to roll! Quarter 1 of the year has been so very busy as we have worked hard to get everyone into the HMS routines, but it has also been so very fun!

End of Quarter 1 Important Dates!!!

• Last day of Q1- Thursday, October 10
• All Q1 work must be completed and turned in before you leave school on 10/10
• Report Cards emailed October 16/17

Please take a few moments to follow HMS on Facebook and Instagram (@hmsalaska), as we keep these very up to date with pictures and announcements about what is happening at HMS. You can also check out our school website (https://kpbsd.org/schools/homer-middle/), although it is updated far less often. You can also join our HMS Public Google Calendar to help you keep up to date too (Google Calendar Link Click Here) As always, if you need anything at all during the school year, please do not hesitate to reach out. You can email me at mredmond@kpbsd.k12.ak.us or call the office at 907-235-5700.

-Principal Redmond

October 4- Cross Country Boroughs in Kenai

October 5- Soccer Boroughs in Nikiski

October 7- Intramural basketball season starts (you must have paperwork complete and turned in to attend practice)

October 7-10- 7th Grade Sexual Health lessons

October 10- last day of Q1

October 10- Activity Night 6-8 PM

October 11- NO SCHOOL

October 14-18- 8th Grade Sexual Health lessons

October 16/17- Q1 Report Cards emailed out

October 18- Early Release

October 21- First eligibility run for basketball season

October 24/25- Parent Teacher Conferences- NO SCHOOL

October 28- first basketball game (B teams @ CIA)

October 28- Picture day retakes

October 29- Q1 awards assembly during advisory

October 31- HALLOWEEN!

Mark your calendars! The first Activity Night of the school year will be held on Thursday, October 10th 6:00-8:00 pm. Here are a few important things to note.

• We need volunteers to help supervise! If you are able to help, please email Mrs. Redmond mredmond@kpbsd.k12.ak.us. You must have a KPBSD volunteer application completed and approved before activity night to be able to volunteer.
• Students must have turned in their Student Handbook signature page to be able to attend. You received an email from me last week if that has NOT been turned in for your child.
• Students must be at school all day on Thursday to be able to attend activity night, unless they have a documented doctor/dentist appointment. A doctors note is required to be submitted to the office if this is the case.
• If you child has had any suspensions during the first quarter of school, they are ineligible to attend activity night.
• Only full-time HMS students are allowed to attend activity night. No outside guests are allowed to attend.
• Students must have a signed permission slip to attend activity night (these will be handed out next week).

Activity Night: $5 entry fee. Pizza and soda will also be sold.

Parent Teacher conferences will be held Thursday, October 24th and Friday, October 25th following the schedule below.

Thursday, October 24th

9:00-12:00- by appointment

1:00-4:00- by appointment

5:00-8:00- by appointment

Friday, October 25th

9:00-12:00- drop in conferences

An email will come out in the next week with instructions on how to make appointments for the Thursday conference slots. We highly recommend making an appointment to guarantee a conference time with the teachers you want to see. Additionally, we will have drop in time on Friday that you can come wait in line to meet with any teachers. If you choose the drop in time, we can't guarantee that you will get to meet with the teachers you want to see or how long the wait time will be.

Basketball practice starts Monday, October 7th. Practice will be every day 4:00-5:30. A permission packet and participation fee must be turned into the office before as student is permitted to attend practice.

Reminder to our student athletes that eligibility is checked every Monday at 3:45. If you have any Fs at that time, you are ineligible for competitions for the next week. If a student athlete is ineligible for competitions, they are still expected to attend practices. In addition, student athletes must be present for the entire day (or the Friday before a weekend competition), including being on time for school in the morning to be able to compete or practice that day.

Basketball Schedule (subject to change)-

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1lc5TxAux85it6-bOYm45yHeZqds6cNScWi5aAH1scqk/edit

• "Mr Diaz has a sincere way of relating to and encouraging the students without being cheesy. I also appreciated his commitment to the jr high wrestling program!"
• "Mr. Simondsen has done an amazing job of turning brand new musicians and cacophony of instruments into actual music! And I hear he doesn't even yell. 😀 "
• "Ms. Hope has always been supportive of me and accommodates people’s situations. I just all round think she’s the best teacher this year!"

Fill out the form at this link to give a staff member a shout out in our next newsletter! You must enter your name and email to complete the form, but when shout outs are included in the newsletter, they will be anonymous.

https://forms.gle/FnSrYzRN1LrXjTHu8

I am happy to announce the results of our site council parent seat election. Please welcome Lisa Martin as our newest parent members on the site council! They join the following people already on the site council. The first meeting is coming soon!

Parent- Erica Marley

Parent- Rachael Kincaid

Certified Teachers- Damara Burnett and Mike Tozzo

Classified Staff- Adam Diaz

Community Member- TBD

Student Member- TBD

Are you interested in joining our coaching team at HMS! We are currently looking for the following coaches....apply at KPBSD.org today!

• B Team Volleyball
• Head Nordic Ski
• Assistant Nordic Ski
• Assistant Wrestling

All students (new and returning) are required to have registration paperwork completed every school year. You can complete your child's paperwork at this link https://forms.kpbsd.org/. If your child is a returning student, nothing is required to be completed in person. If your child is a new student, you will need to drop off a copy of their birth certificate and physical form.

There is also a $25 band/choir fee and a $10 art fee for each student. If you have not paid these fees yet you may do so by sending cash/check to school or logging into PowerSchool to pay online with a credit card.

The use of electronic devices, such as cell phones, bluetooth headphones, smart watches, etc., not provided by the school for student use, is not allowed in school by students. If students bring these items to school, they must turn them off when entering the building and leave them off and out of sight until the last bell rings. The school is limited in resources and will not assist in searching for lost electronics. The only exception to this rule is if a teacher gives permission for a student to use a device for a specific activity in class.

• All students are warned of this rule explicitly at the beginning of the school year.
• 1st offense- Device is taken away and given to the office. Student may get device back at the end of the school day.
• 2nd offense (and each offense thereafter)- Device is taken away and given to the office. A parent or guardian will be called and the parent/guardian or designee must pick up the device.

Regular attendance at school is a vital part of student success. Parents/guardians are expected to call or email the school by 9:30 am whenever their child will be absent.

Phone Number: 907-235-5700

Email: tshafer@kpbsd.k12.ak.us

• Excused Absence- a parent has notified the school that their child is or will be absent from school.
• Unexcused Absence- a parent has not notified the school that their child is or will be absent from school.
• A student is considered absent from a class period once they are 15 minutes late.

When a student will be absent from school for 5 consecutive days or more, a prearranged absence form must be completed and submitted to the office in advance of the absence. The student is expected to be responsible for completing this form and following up with his or her teachers about missing work once he or she is back from the absence.

If a student will be absent more than 10 consecutive days, the parent is required to meet with the principal to discuss the absence and determine next steps.

After school study hall will start Monday, October 7th! This will run every Monday-Thursday 3:50 until 5:00. Study hall will rotate between Ms. Booz and Mr. Olson's classrooms. Students should listen to the announcements for the location each day. Please be prompt to pick up your child at 5 pm.

We also offer morning study hall from 8-8:30 in the library. This is a quiet time for students to work on homework or read. If students are dropped off before 8:30 am, they should enter the school to attend study hall. Please do not drop students off early if they do not intend to attend study hall or they will be disruptive to the quiet environment, as there is no supervision outside.

If you need info about bussing, please contact Apple Bus at 907.235.0124.

Students are required to have a bus note if they need to get off the bus at a different stop than usual. Parents/guardians must do the following by 2:00 PM to request a bus note for their child.

• Step 1: Call First Student at 907-235-0124 to find out the bus number and bus stop name you are requesting for the bus pass. You also need to verify that there will be space on the bus for the bus pass to be accepted by the driver.

• Step 2: Call or email the HMS secretary before 2 PM to request the bus pass and provide all info needed. (bus number, stop name, destination contact name and phone number, dates for pass).

See our full student handbook here. A reminder that the signature page must be turned in to the office for a student to be permitted to attend activity night. https://kpbsd.org/schools/homer-middle/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/05/Homer-Middle-School-Handbook-2024-2025.docx-3.pdf

Have you updated your registration for this year yet? If not please do so here https://forms.kpbsd.org/guardian/login?returnUrl=%2Fguardian .

Add funds to your child's lunch account here https://kpbsd.revtrak.net/

Check your child's grades and see if you still owe any course fees in PowerSchool here https://kpbsd.org/students-parents/powerschool/

Are you interested in volunteering at Homer Middle School? Complete the KPBSD volunteer application at this link https://kpbsd.org/departments/assistant-superintendent/instructional-services/hr/volunteer/. Once you are approved, reach out to the office and we can find a way for you to help!

Please take the time to complete the surveys below. They can be filled out at any point in the year and as many times as you would like! We value your compliments and constructive feedback!

• Morning tutoring- 8:00-8:30 am every day in the library

• Morning library- 8:30-8:50 am every day the library is open for work time

• Enrichment- set up a time to meet with a teacher in advance

• Enrichment- the library is open every day to work on class work

• Advisory- most Tuesdays will be study hall. Study hall time may be available other days in advisory as well.

• After school tutoring- Monday-Thursdays 3:50-5:00 in Ms. Booz or Mr. Olson's classroom.

• Work on school work when I am at home!