HMS Families:

It was wonderful to see so many of our HMS students and families at this week's Orientation. We hope that your family was able to attend this event and to pick up your child's schedule, take a tour, and get your questions about HMS answered. If you were not able to attend, please feel free to stop by our office next week to pick up your child's Chromebook and school schedule and to complete Back to School paperwork. Make-up pictures will be offered on October 1 for students who were unable to get their picture taken at Orientation.

We are so excited to welcome back students for the school year on Wednesday. We will be running a modified first-day schedule to allow each student to spend some extra time in their HomeBase class getting to know their HomeBase teacher and classmates and learning about our school. (On your child's schedule, HomeBase is listed as their period 7 advisory class.) Our regular bell schedule for the year is below.

We'd like to extend a huge 'thank you' to our PWT volunteers who are helping us start the year off right. Thanks to our PWT, every HMS student will receive a free HMS spirit wear tee-shirt that they can wear to show their school spirit. The shirts have sleeves that match each student's class color (6th - red, 7th - yellow, 8th - green). A sample photo is below. If your child did not share their shirt size with PWT at Orientation, we will ask them for their size during Home Base next week. Hooray for our amazing PWT!

Our office staff is here to help you with any questions or concerns. Please give us a call at 360-448-6440 if we can be of help.

Thank you for your support!

~ Meredith

meredith.gannon@hocksd.org

On the first day of school, students will be welcomed to campus by our student leaders. All students will have a modified schedule so that they spend one hour in their Home Base class. HomeBase teachers will lead a school tour, explain safety and COVID protocols, get to know students, and give students an outdoor mask break. Students will then continue with their regular class schedule for 35 minute periods. All sixth grade students, will have student leaders escort them to the bus of parent pick up area at the end of the day. Just a reminder, the first day of school is a one-hour early release and students will be dismissed at 2:20 p.m.

There will be a back to school evening event for each grade level. At the Back to School events, parents can meet their child's teachers, find out about what their student will be learning in each class, and learn about class policies. We hope to see you there!

Grade 6: Monday, August 30: 5 - 6:30 p.m. - HMS Gym

This is a drop-in, meet the teacher event. A curriculum night will be held at a later date to give sixth grade families a chance to visit each classroom and to ask questions about specific classes.

Grade 7 & 8: Thursday, September 2: 6 - 7:30 p.m.

It has come to my attention that a few student schedules were printed with an incorrect class number. These should now be corrected in your student's Skyward schedule. A list of our HMS teachers and their room numbers is below. As a reminder, we will have student leaders available to help every student get to class the first day.

Grade 6

Hoiland - Science - Room 117

Hanson - Language Arts - Room 113

Maudlin - Math - Room 116

A. Schneider - Social Studies - Room 115

Grade 7

Callen - Science / Money Matters - Room 217

Kolafa - Social Studies - Room 215

Loper - Math - Room 214 & Computer Science - Room 201

Lyons - Math / Money Matters - Room 216

Parker - Language Arts - Room 203

Stivers - Science - Room 207

Wisely - Language Arts / Creative Writing - Room 213

Grade 8

Broten - Language Arts / Social Studies / Leadership - Room 205

Parker - Language Arts - Room 203

Tomayer - Math - Room 206

Shinn - Social Studies - Room 204

Stivers - Science - Room 207

Muckerheide - Science / STEM - Room 127

Specialists

Cookson - French - Room 222 and MultiMedia - Room 201

Elgin - Health - Room 114 & PE - Gym

Vettrus - PE - Gym & Home Base 220

Marano - Art - Room 126

Christian - Art - Room 126

Ritenburgh - Band - Room 128

Rough - Language Arts - Room 103

Thumim - Math - Room 104

Ruby - Resource - Room 101

Throop - Spanish - Room 220

Bus route information is now available on the HSD webpage. You can view your student's bus route, pick up/drop off locations, and times on the Busing Information page. https://www.hocksd.org/Content2/busing-information

Directions:

Step 1: Identify Your Bus Number

Click on the map for the school that your child will be attending and look for the area where your home is located to see what bus your student will be riding.

Step 2: Look for Your Bus Stop

Once you determine your student's bus number, you can look up bus stops and schedules by clicking on the link below the map.

Please note there are tabs at the bottom of the route spreadsheet you can click on.

If you have questions, please contact First Student Transportation at (360) 846-2922. Click here to learn more about First Student. https://www.hocksd.org/News/hsdbusing21...

Student schedules are now available on Skyward Family Access. Student schedules are created based on the forecasting information submitted by students at the end of the prior school year. Due to limited space in our classes, schedule changes will only be made if:

1. the student is missing a class (i.e. has no English Language Arts class)

2. the student has duplicate classes (i.e. two period of math)

3. The student is missing a prerequisite class (i.e. is placed in French 2 without having taken French 1)

Thank you for your understanding.

COVID Guidelines for Band

There have been several changes for band protocols since last spring. Woodwinds and brass players may remove their face covering/mask when performing on their instrument and must replace it during non-performance time. Bell covers are still required indoors and recommended outdoors. All students will be spaced 3’ apart and brass players will continue using absorbent pads for water keys.

Books

There are two 6th grade bands; second year players and beginners. Both 6th grade bands will be using book 1 of Standard of Excellence. 7th grade band will be using Standard of Excellence book 2. 8th grade band will quickly finish book 2 and start using Standard of Excellence book 3. Eighth graders will be performing in SEPTEMBER at a High School Football game halftime show and will need to purchase a lyre and extra pages to hold their music.

Instruments

Beginning band should hold off with renting an instrument until after day 1. Seventh and eighth graders- we start playing day 2! YAY!

Band Calendar

The band calendar is a work in progress. At this time, concerts are scheduled for October, December, May and June. ALL concerts, parades and band events are on hold until approved and pending COVID guidelines.

Thanks for all your support and efforts through last year. I am looking forward to a great year! Let’s do this! Feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns at Jennifer.ritenburgh@hocksd.org. GO BAND!

You can read more about our new HMS teachers on our Facebook Page.

Not pictured are: Heather Christian - Art, Mike Thompson - Paraeducator, Judy Sheffield - Paraeducator, amd Katelynn Richman - Paraeducator

Seventh and Eighth grade students are eligible to participate in school sports. Our Fall sports are: cross-country (co-ed) and volleyball (girls). Registration information can be found here. Practice for cross-country and try-outs for girls' volleyball begin on 8/30.

Please contact our HMS Athletic Director, Caleb Millay, or Athletic Secretary, Karen Johnson, at 360-448-6440 or caleb.millay@hocksd.org with any questions.

Go Hornets!

Keeping our students safe is a key priority. Our Hockinson Middle School COVID Safety plan can be found here. This safety plan was developed using the Department of Health and Clark County public Health guidelines for COVID safety.

If you have any questions about our safety plans, please don't hesitate to reach out to us. Our HSD COVID Safety Manager, Caleb Millay, can be reached at 360-448-6440.

August 30: Open House - Grade 6: 5 - 6:30 p.m.

September 1: First Day of School - early release (2:20 p.m.)

September 2: Open House - Grades 7 - 8: 6 - 7:30 p.m.

September 6: Labor Day - No School

September 14: PWT Back to School Picnic - HMS Field

September 17: Constitution Day

September 30: State Testing Begins

October 8: No School - Statewide Teacher In-Service Day

Website: https://hms.hocksd.org/
Location: 15916 NE 182nd Avenue, Brush Prairie, WA 98606
Phone: (360)448-6440
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HockinsonMS