Many parents believe that middle school children need to learn independence, take responsibility for themselves, and for goodness sake, GROW UP! And guess what? They're right! But how does this need to grow impact the parent's role in the school? While you may think it's time to be more "hands-off," know that your involvement is still necessary, even critical, to your child's success. This blog will help you stay connected and offer opportunities to get involved. Feel free to share your ideas, and ask questions!
Get Connected....
- Join PTA - Did you know that for as little as $10 per member, our PTA provides resources for classrooms, parents, and teachers? If you haven't already done so, follow the link below to sign up. We currently have about 65% membership from our families. Can we do better than that? I know we can! http://www.hopewellpta.com/PDF/HMS_membershipform.pdf
- Come to Curriculum Night - On Monday, September 12th (6th grade) and Tuesday, September 13th (7th and 8th grades) we will host our annual Curriculum Night. Not only is an opportunity to meet your child's teachers and hear about all the great things planned for the year, but you will also have the opportunity to review the propsed PTA budget, as well as hear remarks from me! You don't want to miss this very important event. We will begin at 6:45 in the gymnasium. Hope to see you there!
- Celebrate with us on Family Fun Night - On Friday, September 23rd, from 5:30-7:30, join us for food, fellowship, and fun. Whether you're new to the community or simply want to connect with other families, we look forward to having you!
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Hello and Welcome Dr. Patterson...I have been hearing from my 8th grader that many rules and regulations have changed this year (things are apparently stricter). As an 8th grader, I think she was looking forward to somewhat of a more relaxed atmosphere, a perk if you will, for being an 8th grader. I'd like to say that I'm happy that there is more control with the student's whereabouts during the school day, limiting "roaming" around the halls/restrooms. But with the new rules and protocols, I think it's confused some students on what they can and cannot do and have been getting called out on things that they just didn't know had changed. How are the new rules etc being communicated to the students? And, more importantly, are teachers giving students a grace period for students to learn these rules and put them into action before their conduct grades are affected or other disciplinary measures are taken? Perhaps you could address here or on Curriculum night? Just a thought...
ReplyDeleteJD,
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing those thoughts. I've heard from a few parents that students (particularly 8th graders) are feeling that there are more rules, but in actuality, no new rules have been implemented. As you stated, they are simply being enforced more consistently than perhaps before. In short, the differences students notice are 1 - the expectation to use their agenda and carry it all times, and 2 - to obtain permission (from a teacher or parent) to go down the hall before 8:10. These expectations were communicated by teachers during homeroom and by me on a special morning announcements segment. I am also planning to share these expectations with parents on curriculum night. And, to allay any additional concerns, these are not expectations that are subject to any kind of disciplinary action. The agenda use supports good organization and study habits, and the morning passes help us account for students during a time when supervision is limited. I hope this response is helpful, and please let me know if other concerns arise. See you Tuesday!
Nice job Dr. Patterson at Curriculum Night! It was nice to sit down and see a power point presentation. This is the main opportunity for you to speak to many of the parents of the HMS students. It's is great to have academic goals and I hope you have an action plan to go along with them.
ReplyDeleteThere are many wonderful teachers at HMS who work hard every day to help students be their best! It was nice to hear what they had to say for 10 minutes instead of 6 this year.
I think it's important to get regular feedback about the school goings-on from both students, parents, and teachers. Then you get the truth of what works and what doesn't--and who doesn't.
Welcome to HMS!