Week of 9/3/2018

Quote of the Week: 



Good Afternoon Families!

Hats off to all of the students that received an 80% or higher on their binder checks this week! It was great seeing all of the smiles as well as watching our students feel successful! As we have greeted students in the morning, we have observed more than 95% of our students prepared for learning. This is great! We are working to shift the mindset of our students to believe and know that they can go beyond the city of Athens and be successful. We are holding every student accountable for their learning while promoting academic excellence. Thank you parents for joining us! We encourage you to perform your own binder and assignment checks! We are striving to to have 100% of our students prepared to learn! When they are prepared with the necessary tools to learn they are more likely to engage in their learning, yielding academic progress!  Our students are truly working hard! Let us continue to encourage them to stay focused, be respectful, be responsible, and to be a leader! 

This is  a reminder that we are out school Monday. Enjoy your time!

Thanks,
Principal Tolbert

Announcements

Parents,

I am attaching the letter that I sent yesterday through Parent Link. Thank you for your continued patience and support. Parent Link is the primary source of information for parents. This is also known as Parent Portal. You can get connected by visiting CCSD’s website. I strongly encouraged you to sign up for Parent Portal as this is also a great way to be in the know about your child’s academic status!

Parent Communication

Grade Level Parent Nights

Parents,

Please join us for Grade Level Parent Nights! This is an opportunity for you to meet your child’s teachers, receive academic data, and learn more about the exciting programs that are offered at Hilsman Middle School. Due to limited parking and space, we are hosting Grade Level Family Nights on different days! 

6th Grade Parent Night will be Wednesday, September 12th. Time 6:00 pm-7:30 pm
7th Grade Parent Night will be Tuesday, September 11. Time 6:00 pm- 7:30 pm
8th Grade Parent Night will be Monday, September 10th. Time 6:00 pm-7:30 pm

AVID Parent Information:

AVID Parent Information: 

We have decided to implement a school-wide organization system. In order to prepare our students for college and career, we feel teaching students to be organized and prepared for school lead to student success. Please help us by asking your students about their binder and supplies and helping with keeping your student organized and prepared daily. Below you will find our rubric score card.This will detail what your students will be scored on in order to participate in our Dress Down Days incentive.

If you have any questions or concerns please email: fassbenderc@clarke.k12.ga.us Binder Score Card 

Rubric:

Binder- 8 pts (3 in or zippered/trapper keeper)

Agenda- 2pts

Pencil pouch/pencil case- 2 pts

Pencils, pens, highlighters- 2 pts

Band Information

The Hilsman Band Rock-A-Thon will take place Friday, September 7 from 7:00pm-7:00am. We still need volunteers! Please click the link below to sign up to help!

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1c7vVeyA3ANmmsZpP5eHwZ4ixwyK_ulWc5EoCV6-bsCM/edit?usp=drive_web&ouid=114000083826236255617

After School Information

The 21st Century Program will begin on September 4, 2018 for both the morning and afternoon sessions. Parents must attend one of the three Parent Orientations in order for their children to participate. The Orientations will be offered on the following dates from 5:15-6:00 pm: Thursday, August 30, Thursday, September 6, & Tuesday, September 11.

Chess Information

Chess Team will begin Tuesday Sept. 4th in Mr. Naughton's room on the 8th grade hall. Girls and boys of any experience level or with no experience may join. Chess will take place every Tuesday and Thursday. Students must have a way home at 5:30.

Week at a Glance

Monday-NO SCHOOL

Tuesday

Fall Picture Day at Hilsman is September 11th. Students should be in uniforms for pictures. Flyers with ordering and pricing information will be coming home soon.

SAE Workday- 4:00-5:00 

Wednesday

FFA CDE Practices (ENR, Floral Design and FFA Quiz) Wednesday Sept 5, 7:15-8:00am 

Cross Country Meet

Date: Wednesday, 9/5/2018

Location: Wood Park, Morgan County

Time:4:30 P.M.

Boys run at 4:30, Girls run at 5:00

$5 parking fee per car

Directions: 1000 Heritage Park Circle Madison, Ga 30650, Across the Madison bypass from the Elementary School. Use Google Maps.

Thursday

Agriscience Fair Practice- 7:15-8:00am Thursday, September 6

SAE Workday- 4:00-5:00 Thursday, September 6

HMS vs. CMS Volleyball

Location:Cedar Shoals High school

Date: Thursday, 9/6/18

Time:4:30 P.M.

Friday

Practices (ENR, Floral Design and FFA Quiz) Friday Sept 7, 7:15-8:00am

Week of 8/27/18

Quote of the Week: 

Greetings Panther Nation,

Here is to the end of the 3rd week of school! Thank you to all the parents that came out to our first PTO Meeting. It was great seeing all of you and I am looking forward to collaborating with you this year. As we work to improve the academic and social emotional learning of our students I would like to encourage our school community to become involved with helping our students become better decision makers. We want to encourage our students to seek other solutions beyond fighting to solve conflicts and build better relationships. As a school we are holding our students more accountable for their behavior and their learning. We ask that you reiterate the school's expectations to your scholar. Remind them that they must stay focused, be responsible, be respectful, and be a leader! If we as a school community continue to work together then we will see a decrease in discipline infractions and and a rise in student achievement. Thank you for all of your support and involvement this school year.

Thanks,

Principal Tolbert

Announcements

What is AVID?

AVID is the acronym for  Advancement Via Individual Determination. AVID helps teachers shift from delivering content to facilitating learning, resulting in an inquiry-based, student-centric classroom. It also helps teachers to inspire students to take ownership of their own learning while preparing them to be college/career ready. You will learn more about AVID throughout the year. 

AVID Parent Information: Binder Checks As a school, we have decided to implement a school-wide organization system. In order to prepare our students for college and career, we feel teaching students to be organized and prepared for school lead to student success. Please help us by asking your students about their binder and supplies and helping with keeping your student organized and prepared daily. Below you will find our rubric score card. This will detail what your students will be scored on in order to participate in our Dress Down Days incentive. If you have any questions or concerns please email: fassbenderc@clarke.k12.ga.us Binder Score Card Rubric: Binder- 8 pts (3 in or zippered/trapper keeper) Agenda- 2pts Pencil pouch/pencil case- 2 pts Pencils, pens, highlighters- 2 pts Pocket Folder for HW, etc- 2 pts Dividers- 2 pts (5) Notebook paper- 2 pts

Friday 8/31- Student Dress Down Day Incentive for Binder Checks

Below you will find the contact information for HMS' Staff:
School Directory

Band News

Band parents: The band fundraiser packet was sent home today! Our Rock-A-Thon will take place on September 7 at Cedar Shoals High School. Please look over the packet and email me any questions! campl@clarke.k12.ga.us.

Chess News

Chess Team will start on September 4th in room 501. We meet every Tuesday and Thursday after school until 5:30. Students must have a way to get home.

21st Century News
21st Century will begin both the morning and afternoon programs on Tuesday, September 4. Students must be registered in order to attend 21st Century classes and programs. Paper registrations forms are available from Mrs. Dalton or Ms. Hughes. In addition to registering, a parent must attend one of the two Parent Orientations. The 1st Parent Orientation will be on Thursday, August 30 at 5:15 pm in Mrs. Dalton's classroom (room 402). The 2nd Parent Orientation will be on Thursday, September 6 at 5:15 pm in Ms. Hughes' classroom (room 401). The middle school 21st Century Program offers academic and enrichment classes. There is no fee for the program. Snacks and bus transportation are available for students. The middle school program allows funding for an average daily attendance of 45 students. If you are interested in the program, please register. Mrs. Dalton or Ms. Hughes can answer questions about the 21st Century Program.


Clarification
It was brought to my attention that the language I used in the No Flex Zone Rule was not clear and needed more clarification. I apologize for the confusion that this may have caused for our school community. Below you will find the rule.

 No-Flex Zone/Student Cell Phones

In an effort to maximize students’ instructional time in the classroom, students are not allowed to use their cellular devices between the hours of 8:25am-3:40pm. Students will be allowed to use the teacher’s phone in the classroom in the case of an emergency. Students are permitted to carry their cell phones and they can be visible, however they must be responsible for keeping it safe. The school is not responsible for lost or stolen phones. If a student violates the No Flex Zone expectation, they will be given a consequence. Please note the consequences below:

1. Warning
2. Phone is taken by the teacher until the end of class.
3. Phone is taken by the teacher and given to an administrator or the SRO. The parent can retrieve the phone between the hours of 3pm-5pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

The severity of the consequence can change due to the nature of the situation.

Sports/Clubs

Hilsman offers a variety of clubs and sports for our students. 6th graders are not permitted to play sports but are welcome to join clubs and become involved in other activities. Below you will find a list of clubs and sports available to our students:

Chess Club-Mr. Pratt-prattj@clarke.k12.ga.us

FFA-Rene Martin-martinr@clarke.k12.ga.us

Science and Energy Team- Mrs. Hughes -hughes2@clarke.k12.ga.us

Cross Country/Running Club-M.Skinner and E. Seymour

Track and Field-Q. Wilkins and E. Seymour

Basketball-Q. Turner and J. Burton (turnerq@clarke.k12.ga.us), (burtonj@clarke.k12.ga.us)

Football (C-Team)-S. Stokes

Baseball (C-Team)

Volleyball-B. Phillips

Softball (C-Team)-C. Pullen- kinnersonc@clarke.k12.ga.us

Cheerleading-T. Jernigan-dillardjernigan@clarke.k12.ga.us

Tennis-W. Fairfox

Soccer- M. Marty and G. Wright

21st Century-A. Hughes and M. Dalton (hughesa@clarke.k12.ga.us), (daltonm@clarke.k12.ga.us)

Pathways to Success- Tonya Ward- wardt@clarke.k12.ga.us

Coding Club-L. Gonzalez-gonzalezl@clarke.k12.ga.us

Robotics-S. Richmond-richmonds@clarke.k12.ga.us

See below for the coaches' contact information:

Jaguar, C-Team Football 
Head Coach-Shantavious Stokes
Contact: Email: stokess@clarke.k12.ga.us

Hilsman Volleyball:
Head Coach- Bonnie Phillips 
Contact: Email: Bohil11@uga.edu

Hilsman Girls Soccer 
Head Coach: Melanie Marty
Contact: Email: maxeym@clarke.k12.ga.us

Hilsman Boys Soccer
Head Coach: Gabe Wright
Contact: Cell: 678-938-5365

Hilsman Cross Country
Head Coach: Erin Seymour 
Contact: Email: seymoure@clarke.k12.ga.us

Hilsman Middle School Track 
Head Coach: Quincy Wilkins
Contact: Email: wilkinsq@clarke. K12.ga.us

Week at a Glance

Monday
Begin School-Wide Binder Checks


Tuesday
FFA Meeting 4-6


Wednesday


Thursday

C-Team Football Location: Cedar Shoals High School Time:5:30

Friday-Spirit Shirts and Uniform bottoms

Week of August 19, 2018

Quote of the Week:


It's Sunday Panther Nation! Thank you for another great week of school. Last week we met with all of our students in an effort to officially welcome them back to Hilsman 2.0. During this meeting we communicated to all of our students the expectations for the 2018-2019 school year! We encouraged everyone to be focused, be responsible, be respectful, and to be a leader! If they are able to follow these four pieces of advice then they will have a productive and successful school year. Please help us to hold them accountable by joining us in our move to prepare every child to be college and career ready! It takes a village!

As we all continue to move forward together this year, I want to encourage all parents to become involved with our school! Your presence and help are always welcomed.  Being a village means that we must all establish common beliefs and work together to prepare our children for the world! Our first PTO Meeting will be held this week on Thursday in the cafeteria. It will begin at 6:00 pm. Please come out and hear how you can become more involved at Hilsman.

Thanks,

Principal Tolbert

Announcements

Bus Information

Parents,

We are working with transportation to perfect the routes for our bus riders. Thank you for your patience. We are aware of the crowded buses and will have a plan in place this week to help provide a safe ride for our students. Riding the bus is just as important to us as teaching. Students are expected to follow all of the behavior expectations on the bus. This is extremely important as safety is a priority for our drivers and administrators. 

Please continue to speak with your child(ren) about their behavior on the bus. Last week we had several incidents that resulted in students losing their privilege to ride the bus. We want all of our students to be present at school!

Start Time

We want to reiterate that our school day begins promptly at 8:25. If your child arrives after 8:25 they are considered tardy. Please get your scholar(s) to school on time. Students are allowed in the building at 7:50 every morning. Thank you in advance for ensuring your child is present at school, every day, on time! 

Sports Center

Volleyball tryouts will be Tuesday 8/21 through Thursday-8/23 from 4:15-5:30. Students interested in trying out must be eligible and have a current physical turned in to Mr. Watkins by Tuesday-8/21. Tryouts will be held at the Hilsman gym at the location of the old Hilsman Middle School. The activity bus will transport students from Hilsman 2.0 to the gymnasium. If you have any questions or concerns please email Mr. Watkins at watkinsra@clarke.k12.ga.us.
Chess

Chess Team will start on September 4th in room 501. We meet every Tuesday and Thursday after school until 5:30. Students must have a way to get home.

21st Century Information

21st Century will begin both the morning and afternoon programs on Tuesday, September 4. Students must be registered in order to attend 21st Century classes and programs. Paper registrations forms are available from Mrs. Dalton or Ms. Hughes. In addition to registering, a parent must attend one of the two Parent Orientations. The 1st Parent Orientation will be on Thursday, August 30 at 5:15 pm in Mrs. Dalton's classroom (room 402). The 2nd Parent Orientation will be on Thursday, September 6 at 5:15 pm in Ms. Hughes' classroom (room 401). The middle school 21st Century Program offers academic and enrichment classes. There is no fee for the program. Snacks and bus transportation are available for students. The middle school program allows funding for an average daily attendance of 45 students. If you are interested in the program, please register. Mrs. Dalton or Ms. Hughes can answer questions about the 21st Century Program.

College/Career T-Shirt Day Information

Monday 8/20- College and Career T-Shirt Day

Students and staff are encouraged to wear a T-shirt that represents a college or a career (occupation). Students and staff must wear uniform bottoms. Please make sure the college or career is visible on the shirt. Solid colors are not permitted. If students do not want to participate, please wear regular school uniform. Please make sure T-shirts are school appropriate.

Band Information

Band parents: The band fundraiser packet was sent home Friday! Our Rock-A-Thon will take place on September 7 at Cedar Shoals High School. Please look over the packet and email me any questions! campl@clarke.k12.ga.us.

Week at a Glance

Monday- College and Career T-Shirt Day

Students and staff are encouraged to wear a T-shirt that represents a college or a career (occupation). Students and staff must wear uniform bottoms. Please make sure the college or career is visible on the shirt. Solid colors are not permitted. If students do not want to participate, please wear regular school uniform. Please make sure T-shirts are school appropriate.

Tuesday

Tuesday- August 21 SAE Workday 4:00-5:00 (open to all Agriculture Students)

Open to all FFA Members - Work on minibooths in Mrs. Martin's classroom.

Wednesday

SAE Checkpoint #1 Due in All Agriculture Classes (1 hour/1 picture)

Open to all FFA Members - Work on minibooths in Mrs. Martin's classroom.

Thursday

Open to all FFA Members - Work on minibooths in Mrs. Martin's classroom.

C-Team Football: Cedar Shoals vs. Clarke Central Date: Thursday, 8/23/18 Time:5:00 p.m. Location: Clarke Central High School

Friday- HMS Spirit Shirt Day with Khaki/Black Uniform Bottoms

Open to all FFA Members - Work on minibooths in Mrs. Martin's classroom.

Week of August 12, 2018

Quote of the Week: 

Afternoon Parents,

Thank you for a wonderful first week of school. Your patience and understanding of our new setting was greatly appreciated. As we visited the classrooms last week we had an opportunity to speak with many our students. When asked what was the best part of their week, most responded "getting back to school and seeing my friends." When asked what was their biggest challenge, they all responded "finding their classes". I was excited about their responses! If the largest barrier they faced was finding their classes then we can help the students overcome that barrier and enjoy the rest of the year. 

Although the new setting has its share of challenges, we are embracing our change with heart. The building looks great and provides a warm and cozy environment. During sunshine breaks the students are out enjoying the sun and we have even seen many playing on the playgrounds! 

Students received their schedules Tuesday when they arrived to school. We recognized that there were some errors and are working diligently to correct them to avoid the loss of instructional time. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Mrs. Brinkley. Please be reminded that we will only make schedule changes for extenuating circumstances.

We have provided some updates below regarding transportation. Our goal is to have the campus cleared of students by 4:00 pm. Please carefully read the information and if you have any questions, contact Ms.Tolbert or Mr. Forker. 

The year is off to a great start! I expect that it will only get better everyday. Please continue to remain flexible as we perfect our routines. Your voice is welcomed and I invite you to email me or schedule an appointment if you have concerns or questions related to Hilsman Middle School. Let us all continue to partner together to make a difference in the lives of our students. 

In partnership with you,

Principal Tolbert

Announcements

Chess Club Information

Chess Team will begin on Tuesdays and Thursdays starting September 4th in room 501. Girls and boys of any experience level and grade can join.

Band Information
6th grade band parents:  Students will need instruments and band books beginning  Monday, August 13th!  Please email me with any questions or concerns: campl@clarke.k12.ga.us.  Thank you!

Cross Country

Cross country and running club will begin on Monday, August 13th from 4:00-5:00. Participants must have a signed permission form and a current physical on file to participate. Change into athletic clothes and shoes and meet in Ms. Seymour's room (803) in the earth shelter by 4:00. You must have a ride here at Hilsman by 5:00. There will also be an informational parent meeting after practice on Thursday, August 16th in the cafeteria.

Links to:

Permission slip

Cross Country Information

Meet Schedule (7th and 8th grade only):

August 28th Athens Academy 4:00 pm

September 5th Wood Park, Morgan County 4:30 pm

September 15th Apple Hawkins, Winder 10:15 am

**Optional meet--must have own ride**

September 20th Crow’s Lake, Jefferson 4:30 pm

September 27th Cousins MS, Covington 5:00 pm

October 2nd Westminster, Watkinsville 4:00 pm

Nurse

Parents,

Please return the medical forms that were picked up during Hilfest along with a copy of your child's 3231 Immunization record if they were updated over the summer.  All students age 12 and up will need to have their immunizations up to date by the end of September.  

Thank you! 

Nurse Chambers

Transportation

Arrival:
Car riders will enter the campus using the main entrance of the building. Please pull all the way up to the first green cones. If students are in the 6 or 7th grade and not eating breakfast, they will enter the door to the right of the main entrance. If they are in the 8th grade or eating breakfast, the will enter the building using the door to the left of the main entrance. 

Please do not stop or park in the car rider circle or at the cafeteria entrance. Our goal is to keep traffic moving. 

Dismissal:
Students will be grouped according to their grade level. You will see signs labeled 6th, 7th, and 8th. Car riders and walkers are dismissed first. It is suggested that you arrive for pick up at 3:40. We will not check students out early or accept a change in transportation plans after 3:15.

 -6th grade please park by the curb - your students should be in front of the main office

- 7th grade next to 6th grade - your students should be under the tree by the bike rack

 -8th grade in the lane to the left (closest to Gaines School Road) - your students should be under the breezeway by the cafe

Arrival Time

Please be advised that students should not arrive on campus before 7:45 am. There is no one available to supervise the students and this is a safety concern.  It is important to us that we offer assistance to our parents that must drop our scholars off early. We will not be able to offer a program for our early arrivals until early September. We will share more information next week. We respectfully ask that you do not drop them off before 7:45 to avoid any safety concerns.

Visitors

There is a myth that parents' help is not welcomed in middle school! This is NOT true. We welcome all of our parents in to visit, to volunteer,  as well as to observe your child's environment. Upon entering the building to volunteer or to observe,  you must be sure to sign in and get a visitor's pass. We also ask that you not interrupt the instructional time or interfere with other students. If you would like to speak to a teacher, feel free to contact them via email or by phone to schedule a conference. 

Phone Calls

We understand that emergencies occur and that you will need to contact your child. We want to help you! If you call the school and leave a message for your child, we will ensure that they receive it during transition or lunch. We will not interrupt the instructional time but will guarantee that the message is delivered to the student.

Outside Food

We noticed an increase in outside food being brought to school by our students and parents last week. Although we encourage you to have lunch with your child, outside food is not allowed in the cafeteria. Snacks are permitted. The day is long and we realize many of our  students are in need of snacks to make it through the day. Please be sure that students have their snacks before arriving to school. Otherwise, snacks brought in throughout the day will be given to students after school. There will be no exceptions.

No Flex Zone

This is a reminder that students are NOT allowed to have their phones during the hours of 8:25 am-3:45 pm. If phones are confiscated they can be retrieved on Tuesdays and Thursdays during the hours of 4:00 pm-5:30 pm. Parents, please remind your child about this rule and help us to help them! I would also encourage you to perform a social media check and remind our scholars about the power of their words.

Uniform Reminder

Parents,

Please help ensure that your child is wearing Hilsman's uniform. Shirts should be solid gold, white, or black polos. There were several students that reported to school with navy shirts or simply a t-shirt. This is not acceptable and will result in the child receiving a consequence. Pants should be black or khaki. NO legging, jegging, or jean material. The pants must have belt loops. Under garments should not be visible however if students are wearing garments that are visible, they need to be in compliance with the uniform policy. Jackets must be black, white, grey, or gold with minimal writing. Hoodies are also acceptable but must follow the policy. Students are not permitted to wear the hoods throughout the day. We relaxed the policy just a little as a result of students' voice. We are asking that you help us to help the students by making sure that they are appropriately dressed in the right uniform before the arrive to school. If we have any families that are in need of assistance, please contact the office.

Week at a Glance

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday
PTO Meeting 5:30
LSGT Meeting

Friday: Spirit t shirt day and Khaki/Black pants