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Nighthawk News
Week of September 18, 2023
Our Vision: The Herbert Akins Road MS Learning Community collaborates to facilitate equitable outcomes and growth through social, emotional, and academic opportunities.
Week of September 18, 2023
Nighthawk Families,
This week we kick off our Fall Athletic Season with home games against Alston Ridge MS. We hope you will join us on Wednesday at 4:00 PM for the Volleyball and Soccer games as well as on Thursday at 4:00 PM for the Football game. Please consider joining our Athletic Booster Club as you will receive a card for free entrance to our home games. Did you know we have 40 home athletic events this school year?? Be sure to visit the concessions stand during the home games to purchase Spiritwear and Snacks.
With FLIGHT Time Clubs, After School Clubs, and Athletics in full swing, our campus is filled with love, learning, and laughter each day during and after school. Please take time to stay connected and find all the opportunities offered to our students and school community each week. This Nighthawk News is filled with much information so be sure to continue reading below!
Parents, please assist your student and our teachers by checking PowerSchool and Canvas accounts to ensure your student has submitted all of their first quarter work. Grades should be reflective of what students have learned; however, without the work samples, it is difficult to accurately grade students' progress.
- Due to the delays in WCPSS Bus Transportation and the significant increase in our enrollment impacting carpool, athletic team tryouts/practices will not begin until 3:30 PM this school year. Track 1 athletes must be dropped off at 3:30 PM through our carpool line.
- All Club information can be found on our school website here.
- Mark your calendars!! We will host our First Annual Nighthawk Family Ed Camp (it is similar to a Curriculum Night) on September 26th and October 17th from 6:30-8:00 PM. A wide variety of topics will be offered to meet the diverse needs of students and families throughout our school community. Information will be sent separately this week with all of the details!
- Our Nighthawk Staff Team is providing highly effective instruction to students in their classrooms. As is on the Communication Protocol in this newsletter, you can reach out to teachers with any inquiries or shout-outs regarding your student's classroom experience.
Nighthawks RISE in all we do! We are proud to share...
- During our inaugural 2022-23 school year, we had a 6% overall gain in students who passed their EOGs. That is truly significant for a first year school as we did not have any prior knowledge of our students before we began the school year. I'm extremely proud of all Nighthawks for this accomplishment.
- And...EVERY subgroup MET their growth targets last school year. Again, another significant accomplishment for a first year school.
- We are eager to find out more information about our 1230 students who have joined our Nest this year so we can help them continue to RISE during the 2023-24 school year.
With appreciation for your support and partnership as we continue to #buildournest in Year 2,
Anne Marie Adkins
Principal
Mark your calendars...more details to come!
Positivity Project at Herbert Akins Rd MS - Appreciation of Beauty and Excellence
Dear Families,
We want to offer the opportunity for you to take the VIA Survey at home so you can engage in dialogue and discussion with your student about the Other People Mindset and Character Strengths found within all of us. You will be able to share stories and perspectives with your student and other members of your family as you highlight and learn more about your top Character Strengths.
To access the VIA Survey, please click this link.
Dear Families,
This week our school community will be focusing on the Other People Mindset of Being Present and Giving Others My Attention. This means when I’m with other people, I’m present and give them my full attention. We have focused on this during the first quarter and will continue to enhance our learning this week to learn more about Other People and strategies for building positive relationships.
This element of the Other People Mindset is so important today due to the increasing number of distractions vying for our time and attention. Phone calls, text messages, emails, social media notifications all have the dangerous capacity to pull us away from the present moment and, what’s most important -- our relationships with other people.
Just like plants need sunlight to grow, our relationships need attention. If we don’t give our attention to the people we’re building relationships with -- whether family members, close friends, or even distant colleagues -- we can’t build those relationships. It’s vitally important that we pick our heads up from our cell phones and truly listen to other people when they’re talking. A positive culture is built on positive relationships -- and we can’t build positive relationships without attention.
To practice and encourage the character strength of perspective with your child, please visit the Positivity Project’s P2 for Families (password: P2), where together you will watch a video, read a quote, and talk about the answers to three questions.
Have a wonderful week!
We hope you will stop by, enjoy a treat while supporting our Athletic Boosters!
Nighthawk Athletic News
Thank you to all the athletes who came out for sports tryouts. We had over 200 student athletes try out for our fall teams! This week brings a lot of new information with the start of our athletic games Wednesday for Volleyball/Soccer and Thursday for Football/Cheer. Please be sure to read the information below regarding game day parking procedures.
Tracked Out Athlete Drop Off
Parents due to our large number of carpool and coaches being on duty in the afternoon. Please go through the carpool line to drop off athletes no earlier than 3:30. Athletes will enter through the front of the school building. If an athlete arrives earlier than 3:30 they will need to sit in the cafeteria until it is time for practice. Athletes are not allowed to enter through the gym doors as there are still students and teachers there until approximately 3:30 PM.
Fall Team Schedule
Girl’s Soccer:
Practice Monday 9/18, Tuesday 9,19, Thursday 9/21 from 3:30-5:30. Game Wednesday 9/20 against Alston Ridge at Herbert Akins Road starting at 4 PM.
Football
Practice Monday 9/18, Tuesday 9,19, Wednesday 9/20 from 3:30-5:30. Game Thursday 9/21 against Alston Ridge at Herbert Akins Road starting at 4 PM.
Volleyball
Practice Monday 9/18, Tuesday 9,19, Thursday 9/21 from 3:30-5. Game Wednesday 9/20 against Alston Ridge at Herbert Akins Road starting at 4 PM.
Cheerleading
Practice Monday 9/18, Tuesday 9,19, Wednesday 9/20 from 3:30-5:30. Game Thursday 9/21 against Alston Ridge at Herbert Akins Road starting at 4 PM.
Here is a link to our 2023-2024 NightHawk Athletic Schedule with tryout dates for each season. This document will be updated if any changes are made to the game schedules.
Athletic Game Parking/Entrance
Spectators should park in the athletic parking lot labeled on the map below. Please use the right carpool lane to enter the school as the elementary carpool will be going on. Football/Soccer spectators should walk around to the back of the building to the athletic fields and volleyball spectators should enter the school through the front doors labeled on the map.
Booster Club Memberships
Thank you to everyone that stayed for the booster club interest meeting. Here is a link to the booster club website where information regarding sponsorships and memberships are available. Herbert Akins Road Middle School Booster Club
Scott West
Athletic Director
Herbert Akins Road Middle
919-694-8300 ext. 53051
You can also find a copy of this newsletter linked here.
Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month in our Nest begins this week!
Did you know the following Nighthawk Team Members represent Chile, Argentina, Peru, Cuba, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Honduras? We are so proud to have their expertise and service in the Nest!
Ms. Maria Sanchez, Mr. Guillermo Guzman, Ms. Aurelis Lugo, Ms. Cecelia Gonzalez, Mr. Omar Cespedes, Ms. Lorena Schakel, Ms. Magdalena Lyles, Mr. Arturo George, Ms. Claudia Marongiu-Engle, Ms. Janine Perez-Rivera, Ms. Odalys Gomez, Ms. Lucia Cervantes Damian
Apply for School Meals - See Below
To apply for free or reduced-price meals, you can do so online by visiting www.MySchoolApps.com. Paper applications will always be made available in our school's front office, or you can call 919-588-3535 or 919-856-2920 to have one mailed to you.
- Application information
- Application information - información sobre la solicitud (Español)
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Frequently Asked Questions - preguntas frecuentes (Español)
- Sample application/Ejemplo de solicitud (Please fill out an original / Favor de completar una solicitud original)
- Meal charges policy | Cuentas de Alimentos
Online Application
- Apply for Free or Reduced Price Meals Online
- Solicitud en lĂnea para las comidas escolares Gratis/Precio Reducido: Español
Meal Benefits Expiration Date
Prior year meal benefits will ​carry over up to 30 school days in the new school year based on your student's school calendar. ​Families must reapply every school year if they are interested in receiving meal benefits.
Questions about applying for free and reduced meals:
(919) 856-2920 (English)
(919) 588-3535 (English and Spanish)
cnsmealbenefits@wcpss.net
Free and Reduced-Price Benefits Office fax number:
(919) 856-3704
Staff Introductions - Check back weekly to learn more about our Nighthawk Team!
Fine Arts Team - Celebrating National Arts in Education Week!
Mr. Guillermo Guzman, Spanish; Ms. Aurelis Lugo, Visual Arts; Ms. Lorena Schakel, Band and Music Arts; Mr. Travis Pressley, Theater Arts
So Proud to Recognize our Instruction Assistants on Friday!
🧡💙We couldn't do it without them 🧡💙
Canvas | Parent Observer Accounts
Families can view their student's course content and progress by creating a Canvas Observer Account. If you have multiple students in WCPSS, you can link all students under a single Observer account. Observers have limited permissions, which allow you to see what is happening in a course without interrupting or participating. More information is available: https://www.wcpss.net/techguides
Reflections Art Program
We would like to let you know that the NC PTA Reflections art contest is on now with the themes, categories and last dates for the submission.
For those who are wondering what the Reflections program is..
The National PTA has a long-standing commitment to arts education. The Reflections program provides opportunities for recognition and access to the arts which boost student confidence and success in the arts and in life.
Each year, over 300,000 students in Pre-K through Grade 12 create original works of art in response to a student-selected theme. This 50+ year-old program helps them explore their own thoughts, feelings and ideas, develop artistic literacy, increase confidence and find a love for learning that will help them become more successful in school and in life.
Categories and Divisions
Students participate in the appropriate division for their grade: Primary (Pre-K - Grade 2), Intermediate (Grades 3-5), Middle School (Grades 6-8), High School (Grades 9-12), Special Artist (All grades welcome).*
Students submit their completed works of art in one or all of the available arts categories: Dance Choreography, Film Production, Literature, Music Composition, Photography, Visual Arts
*Students who identify as having a disability and may receive services under IDEA or ADA: Section 504 may enter in the Special Artist Division or grade division most closely aligned to their functional abilities.
So it is the time for us to kickstart the program at school Level.
“ I am Hopeful Because .... ” is this year’s theme and it couldn’t be more appropriate! Does your child love art, music, photography, dancing, or any other art form? Then this is the contest for them.
The last date to submit your entries to the school level competition is
October 25 , 2023. We will be announcing the school level winners by the end of October !
For more details and entry forms visit : https://nighthawkspta.weebly.com/reflections-program.html
If you have any questions feel free to contact : Tori Barbour
Please use the Below QR Code to submit your art work before October 25.
If you find Difficulty to submit through google form please feel free to contact
Ms.Tori Barbour or Nighthawk PTA for a hard copy of submission form to submit your entries in person.
We Need You as a Volunteer this Year!
Please take a moment to click here and register NOW!
Nighthawks PTA Information and Updates
Teacher / Staff Appreciation
PTA is getting an early start on collecting gift cards for Teacher / Staff Appreciation this year. Please sign up and add a small gift card to your next grocery store run! Thank you!
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0C4AAEAE2BA7FE3-gift
Spiritwear Store Link https://1stplacespiritwear.com/schools/NC/Fuquay-Varina/Herbert+Akins+Road+Middle+School
Email attendance435@wcpss.net or scan QR code/fill out info in body of email
HARLEM WIZARDS - Nighthawk Family Event - VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
On February 7th Herbert Akins Road MS will welcome the Harlem Wizards for a fun filled family night and we need volunteers to help make this event great. If you would like to sign up for the planning committee, please see the sign up genius link.