Hastings Middle School
Monthly Newsletter for September 2016 and Friday Flier for August 22-August 26, 2016
Dear Hastings Families,
Welcome to the 2016-2017 school year at Hastings Middle School. These are the dynamic middle school years, which sets
the stage for success for every student through the teaching of authentic classroom and life lessons that direct your son or
daughter through his/her school years and beyond. The following commitments serve as a guide for those lessons and to our
learning community:
At Hastings Middle School we believe in:
Complex and Creative thinking: Thinking and creating to develop a
sense of wonder about the world and the learning process.
Responsibility: Being accountable for our choices, actions,
and obligations.
Citizenship: Preparing to be competent citizens in the global world.
Empathy: Showing compassion and understanding of others.
Community: Working together to contribute positively to the school
community and the greater society in which we live.
Excellence: Striving for excellence in an atmosphere of high,
yet realistic, expectations with the goal of always improving.
Make no doubt about it - there may be academic, social, and physical challenges for your child throughout the school year
that may be seen as obstacles along the way to success. Yet, it is the ability to see the possibilities imbedded in obstacles the
Hastings staff strives to inspire in our students everyday in the classroom. The start of the school year is also an opportunity
for you to provide needed guidance to your adolescent. In addition to familiarizing yourself with our commitments listed
above, take time at the start of the school year to reflect on what commitments you and your child can make to optimize
learning at Hastings Middle School. By setting your specific attainable goals, both you and your child will have a more
productive and positive school year experience.
I look forward to seeing you at our Parent Open House on Thursday, September 8, at 7:00pm. Please do not hesitate to
contact me if you have any questions or concerns regarding your
child’s education.
“To raise new questions, new possibilities, to regard old problems from a new angle requires creative imagination and marks
real advance in science.” – Albert Einstein
Sincerely,
Robb T. Gonda, Principal
Hastings Middle School
[email protected], 487-5100, ext. 4001
Follow me on twitter: @robbgonda
Follow Hastings on twitter: @HMSbears
Assistant Principal, Mike Robertson, [email protected] Welcome to the 2016-­‐2017 school year! I am thrilled to have the opportunity to work with the students, parents, and staff of HMS. Please feel free to contact me if I can be of assistance. You can reach me by phone (487-­‐5100, ext. 4002), e-­‐mail at [email protected] or by scheduling an appointment to meet with me here at school. Drop Off and Pick Up of Students In order to promote the safety and welfare of our students (your children), please observe the following guidelines when you drop off or pick up a child at Hastings: The designated drop off/pick up area is the main parking lot on the west side of our building. Please drop your child off at the far end of the lot near the pool. Please obey the signage on Hastings Lane, which states “No Parking 8am to 4pm School Days”. There will be no parking on Hastings Lane and the area is clearly marked “No Stopping-­‐School Buses Only.” There is also no parking in any areas on Hastings Lane and Seaford Drive designated by yellow curb paint. These have been marked to help assure driver visibility of children, as well as other cars. Please help the traffic monitors by insiting that your children cross at crosswalks and not in the middle of the street. In particular, please be vigiliant in observing the traffic signals at the corner of the Reed Road and Grace Lane (on the east side of our property) as we have many students using the crosswalks there. Cars stopping in the intersection of Grace Lane and Reed Road create blind spots for other drivers that endanger children in the crosswalks. Counselors for the 2016/2017 School Year: 6th Grade: Shannon Riley, [email protected], 614-­‐487-­‐5100, ext. 4007 7th Grade: Tina Farbizo, [email protected], 614-­‐487-­‐5100, ext. 4009 8th Grade: Catherine Shapiro, [email protected], 614-­‐487-­‐5100, ext. 4008 Welcome to the 2016-­‐2017 school year at HMS. We’re off to a fast start with the goal of Quarter 1 success for all students. Parent support of this goal is vital; here’s how you can help: • Promote healthy diet and approprirate sleep time • Talk to your child about classroom and academic expectations • Designate a time and place for homework completion • Keep an eye on homework completion and feel free to check your child’s planner (are homework assingments being logged and completed?) • Utilize Power School to monitor your child’s progress The HMS Student Handbook, is located on the HMS Website. Please note the following “must-­‐have” information. • Attendance procedures (p. 10-­‐12) • Bell schedules (p. 5-­‐6) • Dress code (p. 14) • Making up schoolwork (p. 12) • Planned absence (p. 11) ************************************************************************************* Calendar for the week of August 22 – August 26: • Wednesday, August 24 PTO Meeting, 8:30am • Wednesday, August 24 EF Tour Meeting @ UAHS, 7pm • Thursday, August 25 • Friday, August 26 Calendar for the week of August 29 – September 2 • Monday, August 29 • Tuesday, August 30 • Wednesday, August 31 • Thursday, September 1 Picture Make-­‐up Day • Friday, September 2 HOP Day, All Students, All Day ************************************************************************************* HOP Day help needed! We currently have a high need for 6th grade parent volunteers on August 29 & 30 to help prepare for our food drive. There are also some 6th grade parent volunteer slots available on HOP Day (Sept. 2) as well. There is a link to sign up on the HOP Day page of the Hastings website and on the PTO website. Parents of 7th and 8th grade students are welcome to volunteer to help with our 6th grade activities as well. Please sign up and help make this our best HOP Day ever! The last day to purchase HOP Day t-­‐shirts is Friday, August 19. T-­‐shirts are $10 each and can be purchased on-­‐line by visiting the HOP Day page of the Hastings website or the PTO website. -­‐-­‐6th grade students must pack their lunch on Friday, September 2, for HOP Day. Please make sure names are written on the lunch bags. -­‐-­‐7th grade students must pack their lunch on Friday, September 2 for HOP Day. Please make sure names are written on the lunch bags. Please direct any HOP Day questions to Jennifer Wiest ([email protected]). HMS Drama Club: The Hastings Drama Club kicks off the new school year with our first meeting after school on Tuesday, August 23. We will meet from 3:30-­‐5:00pm in the auditorium. All students are welcome to join -­‐ no experience necessary! If you're looking for a great way to get involved and meet other students interested in performing, come join us! Questions? Contact Mr. Monseur at [email protected] Hastings Honor Choir: The HMS Honors Choir will have its first meeting on Wednesday, August 24 at 7:30am. The Honors Choir is open to all 7th & 8th grade students who are interested in singing! No previous experience is needed. Questions? Contact Mr. Monseur at [email protected] 6th Grade Hastings Families, Good Morning. In working with the city of Upper Arlington pool department over the past few weeks, were made aware of the possibility that the Reed Road water park would be closing prior to Labor Day. The closing of the water park was confirmed yesterday; therefore, we need to cancel the 6th grade pool party that was scheduled for August 25th. The early closing of the Reed Road Water Park is due to the lack of lifeguard personnel, which occurred when high school and college lifeguards returned to school and extracurricular activities for the fall semester. Lifeguard recruitment has been slower than in past years, in part because of the transition from quarters to semesters, resulting in different summer break schedules for college-­‐age lifeguards. As such, early municipal pool closures as school resumes are common throughout Central Ohio. We will be meeting with 6th grade parents and our PTO to reschedule a 6th grade social for later in the fall. Please look for this information in our Friday Fliers and communications being sent out by email and schoology about this rescheduled event. There is still time to get involved in helping with our socials for this school year. If you are interested, please contact 6th grade school counselor, Shannon Riley at ([email protected]). If I can be of any further help throughout the school year, please do not hesitate to call or email me at any time. Sincerely, Robb T. Gonda Principal, Hastings Middle School
Important FYI’s for parents and students: Technology Issues: If you have any technology hardware or software issues please email [email protected] Student Directory Ads: Would you like to reach the Hastings community? We sell Ads in the Directory! Check the prices on the Website at http://hastingspto.org/hms-directory-ads/
If you are interested in placing an Ad please contact Margaret Kennedy at [email protected].
Attendance/Tardy Policy: All students arriving late or needing to leave early must report to Ms. Fissel in the Attendance Office. Report absences or known late arrivals to Ms. Fissel at 487-­‐5100, ext. 4646; voice mail is available before, during, and after school. Back to School Night: Back to School Curriculum Night will be held on Thursday, September 8. More information will be sent out regarding this event next week. Please plan to join us! Cafeteria and Lunch: UA Schools uses a computerized debit system in our cafeterias. To deposit money into this account, you may send cash or check to the school with the following information: Students full name, grade, and their 6 digit student ID number. You may also deposit funds online at EZ Pay by using a credit card. Any questions, please feel free to contact Hastings Cafeteria: Amy Runkel at 487-­‐5100, ext. 4025. Drop Off and Pick Up of Students: West Parking Lot—Please use the designated drop off/pick up area at the far end of the lot. Early Dismissal Dates for the 2016-­‐2017 School Year are: September 28 and March 1. Dismissal time is 1:30pm. Homework Requests due to an excused absence: If your child is excused from school and you would like to request their homework, please use the following procedures: On the first day of the absence, you may sign onto Schoology and look at the teacher’s websites where they may have it posted or e-­‐mail the teacher. On the second day, homework assignments may be obtained when calling the attendance office at 487-­‐5100, ext. 4005, before 9am. Requested homework may be picked up in the main office after 3:30pm on the day of the request. Intramural Basketball Players: The Hastings Gym is open every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday mornings from 7-­‐8am for intramural pick-­‐up basketball games. All students in grades 6-­‐8 are welcome. Plan to join Mr. Niekamp and Mr. Prout for all the fun! Intramural morning basketball will begin on Monday, August 29. New Faculty and Staff at Hastings—Brooke Dionisio, Life Skills; Andrew Hoober, 7th Grade L.A.; Jennie Kraus, 6th Grade IS; Caroly Masciangelo, 7th Grade IS; Jenny Townsend, Speech Therapist; Spencer Smith, A.D.; McKenna Teague, Athletic Trainer; Tracy Hunt, Cashier; Todd Schweitzer, Custodian; and last but not least, Mike Robertson, Assistant Principal. School Pictures: If your child missed having his/her picture taken on August 8, pictures will be re-­‐
taken on Thursday, September 1. Forms are available in the Main Office. School Store: Open daily during all three lunch periods. School Visitors: Hastings parents and visitors must enter through the main entry doors on Hastings Lane. Please sign in at the Main Office and pick up a visitor’s ID badge before proceeding to your destination. Study Tables: Once again this year, we will hold study tables from 3:30 to 4:30pm Monday through Thursday. This is an excellent time for students to get tutoring help in a difficult subject, catch up on make up work, or just work on homework. We will again have teachers available to assist students in all subject areas as well as with study skills. In order to attend, we only ask that students stay for the complete hour (unless another arrangement has been made) and that the students obey all school rules. If you have any questions, please contact the main office for further clarification. Study tables will begin on Monday, August 29. Permission slips are available on the main office counter. 6th Grade Parents & Students: A mandatory parent and student meeting for 6th grade camp will be held on Tuesday, September 6, in the Hastings Auditorium at 7pm. 6th grade camp dates are: October 3 – October 5 – House Gold October 5 – October 7 -­‐ House Black Volunteer Opportunity: UA Labor Day Arts Festival: We are looking for student volunteers Sunday, September 4 and Monday, September 5. Middle School volunteers can sign up at www.joinuscolumbus.com/volunteer On Friday, September 2, 2016, all Hastings students will be participating in our 8th annual Hastings Outreach Program (HOP) Day. This event is the kick-­‐off to service learning at Hastings Middle School. Service learning is a teaching and learning strategy that integrates meaningful community service with instruction and reflection to enrich the learning experience, teach civic responsibility, and strengthen community (Learn and Serve America Nation Service Learning Clearinghouse). This kick-­‐off day serves as the foundation for all service learning projects done throughout the year and builds on our foundation of being a caring learning community. Important Reminders for HOP Day 6th Grade HOP day WHAT TO WEAR-­‐tennis shoes for safety and comfort; HOP t-­‐shirt or other HMS/UA t-­‐shirt; hats during outdoor activities; and sunscreen. -­‐The school cafeteria will be closed on HOP day; students must bring a lunch! Please write the student's name on the outside of the lunch bag. 7th Grade HOP day WHAT TO WEAR-­‐long pants and tennis shoes for safety and comfort,HOP t-­‐shirt or other HMS/UA t-­‐
shirt; hats during outdoor activities; and sunscreen. -­‐Students need to pack a disposable lunch for HOP day. Make sure to write the student's name on the outside of the paper bag! 8th Grade HOP day WHAT TO WEAR-­‐long pants and closed-­‐toe shoes( REQUIRED for safety and sanitation purposes) and HOP t-­‐shirt or other HMS/UA t-­‐shirt. -­‐Students going to Mid-­‐Ohio Foodbank, Neighborhood Services, Dublin Food Pantry and Welcome Warehouse on HOP day need to pack a lunch. Please make sure it is disposable and clearly labeled. Hastings Athletic News The 2016 Fall Athletic Season is officially up and running. Our student athletes are working hard, getting better and doing a great job representing their school. HMS interscholastic contests begin August 22 (except for golf) and run through October 11th. Individual team game schedules can be found on Schedule Star, schedulestar.com. Please check this website periodically as dates and times could still change. All students, coaches, parents and staff are expected to display great sportsmanship during all interscholastic contests. Upper Arlington Schools will hold itself to the highest standard of sportsmanship. Hastings Middle School is a special place which we have the privilege to represent every day. Let those in the school and in the community be proud of the way we treat our opponents and officials. A Participation Fee of $50.00 is required of all student-­‐athletes. Athletes cannot compete until this fee is paid. Please make check payable to Upper Arlington Board of Education or pay online through the EZ pay system. Please hand checks to your head coach. Picture day is Friday, August 26 and 27 beginning after school. Below is the schedule: Friday, August 26: 3:15-­‐ Tennis 3:35-­‐ Boys XC 3:50-­‐ Girls XC 4:20-­‐ Volleyball 8 4:35-­‐ Volleyball 7 4:50-­‐ Girls Golf 5:05-­‐ Boys Golf 5:20-­‐ Girls Soccer 7 5:40-­‐ Girls Soccer 8 6:00-­‐ Boys Soccer 7 6:15-­‐ Boys Soccer 8 Saturday, August 27: 8:00am -­‐ Football 7 & 8, Cheer The MS Athletic Drive is Tuesday, September 27th. All Hastings current and future athletes are expected to participate in this event. More details regarding this event will be sent out in the near future. It is a privilege to serve everyone who walks onto the Hastings Middle School campus. I look forward to meeting each and every one of you! GO BEARS! Spencer Smith UA Middle Schools Athletic Director NURSE’S NOTES HASTINGS HEALTH OFFICE GUIDELINES If a student is not feeling well—she/he may rest in the health Office for one class period. If able, the student will then return to class or arrangements will be made for them to go home. When to keep your child home—the tough morning decision—do I send my child to school??? Please consider the following guidelines. If your child has any of the following signs or symptoms, please do not send them to school: • Nausea, vomiting, repeated diarrhea, abdominal pain • Elevated temperature (100 degrees or higher) • Acute cold symptoms, sore throat, or persistent cough • Red inflamed eyes or discharge from eyes • Unusual lethargic behavior If your child is diagnosed with a communicable disease such as strep throat, scarlet fever, mononucleosis, conjunctivitis/pink eye—Please inform the school nurse. Taking Medication at School—The following guidelines have been adopted by the UA Board of Education regarding medication at school: • All prescription medication administered by the school requires written authorization from both the parent and the physician. • Non-­‐prescription medication, such as Motrin, requires written authorization from the parent/guardian. • All medication must be provided in the original container, clearly labeled with the student’s name, name of medication, dosage and time of administration. • Medications are kept locked in the Health Office and will be dispensed by the nurse or the principal’s designee. • Students may carry inhalers and medications to self-­‐administer. A “Request that Student Carry and Administer Own Medication” form is available on the district website. Attention Parents of Seventh Graders: The Ohio Department of Health’s school immunization requirements include a dose of TD or Tdap (diphtheria, tetnus, pertussis) to be administered before a student enters the seventh grade (or a Td or Tdap booster within the past 5 years). If you are unsure whether this information has been turned in, please contact Gini Barber RN @487-­‐
5100, ext. 4003 or vbarber @uaschools.org. Name of Seventh Grade Student _________________________________________________________ Date of Td or Tdap (booster, Adacel) ____________________________________________________ The health office is staffed by the school nurse, on school days from 8am to 4pm. If you have any questions, please call Gini Barber RN at 487-­‐5100, ext. 4003 or e-­‐mail her at [email protected]. I look forward to working with you and wish students a healthy and successful school year. Hastings Parent Teacher Organization A BIG THANK YOU for the massive efforts of the School Supply Sale chairpersons Margaret Kennedy, Marti Underwood and Kim Kinateder. We could not have done it with out a whole list of amazing volunteers including Melissa Ford, Denise Rush, Cathy Pultz, Tina Westhoven and her amazing Spirit Wear team, and the many others who came together to welcome and prepare for this upcoming year. Great job! What a wonderful and successful day! Thanks also to Kroger on Henderson Road for donating all the paper bags needed for the supply sale! We appreciate their generosity! Membership for PTO: If you have not registered, please go to www.hastingspto.org to join. It's essential for our programming! You can also download and print a form from the website and send in with your child with a check ($25). Membership includes a directory! School Store Volunteers: If you signed up online or filled out a volunteer form for the School Store look for an email from Arleen Sierra. If you didn't sign up and want to, email her asap at [email protected] We have several more spots to fill and would love your help. Spirit Wear Questions Contact Tina Westhoven at [email protected]. Remember the remaining items are still available in the school store Golden Bear Bash: the Upper Arlington Education Foundation has its annual fundraiser Sunday Sept. 4th from 6:30-­‐11:00 pm. Please consider attending or volunteering at www.goldenbearbash.com All current information and upcoming events are always at www.hastingspto.org Check out our newest fundraiser: Golden Bear Pride on the next page! It's going to be a great year! Ann Carmichael HMS PTO President 2016-­‐17 [email protected] ******************************************************************************************** Please return this form to the PTO Mailbox or to the Main Office at HMS. PTO MEMBERSHIP Parent Name: Address/Zip: Telephone Number __________________ Email address: ____________________ Donation: $25 __________ $50__________$75__________$100__________ Other __________ Thank you so much for supporting your Hastings PTO Hastings & Jones
Middle School Night
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The Upper Arlington Golden Bears vs Westerville North HS
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Friday September 9th
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UAHS - Field west of stadium outside main entrance
6:00pm - 7:30pm
Tickets: $10 (includes dinner & game ticket)
*$6 for FB players and FB Cheerleaders*
Tickets can be purchased at http://hastingspto.org
or during lunch hours September 5th, 6th & 7th