Week of 11/25/2018

Quote of the Week: 

Good afternoon!

Tomorrow is the big day! We will be returning to school after a much-needed break. I hope that you were able to enjoy your family and had a great Thanksgiving Holiday. Admittedly, this was the first break where I actually rested and enjoyed time with my daughters! Now it is time to get back to the business of teaching, and learning.

Parents, we have a little less than four weeks before the close of the quarter. We need your help ensuring that your scholar(s) are held responsible for their learning. If they are signed up for 21st Century or PSP, please be sure to have them attend on the designated days. I encourage you to check Parent Portal for updates on grades by Friday of this week. If your child is missing any assignments for the second quarter, please contact the teacher in an effort to help your child(ren) successfully complete the course. We want all of our students to experience being academically successful at HMS.

Every third Monday of the month is College and Career Readiness Awareness Day. Although we are seeing a slight increase in the number of students that are wearing their college gear, it is our desire to have 100% of our students wearing college shirts. Moreso, we want every child to be aware of their options following high school. If you have shirts that you would like to donate to the school, please contact Ms.Barnett in the front office.

The honor's dinner is still on! A member of my team wanted to create a more stylish invitation. Students will be presented with their invitations tomorrow morning. We are looking forward to a great time.

Please read the announcements below carefully. I will see everyone tomorrow!

Principal Tolbert

Announcements:

Grade Level Blogs

The parents spoke and we listened! Every grade level now has a blog that will be shared every week. Here is where you can find grade-level specific information! Thank you to the teachers for making this possible! They ROCK!

6th Grade: hilsman6.blogspot.com

7th Grade: www.hilsman7.blogspot.com

8th Grade: http://hilsman8.blogspot.com/ 

Tardies/Absences


School begins promptly at 8:25. Our overall attendance average is hovering in the low-'90s. It is our goal to be 98% or above! We want all of our students to be present at school and on time. In the words of Mr. Dwight Manzy, when you miss school, you miss out! If your child must be absent from school, please send in an excuse ASAP.

Uniform Rule Update: Reminder as the weather changes

Although the CCSD Student Code of Conduct does not define the dress code for schools, it does inform parents to defer to the school's dress code rule. I have attached our Dress Code rule in an effort to provide more clarity related to the articles of clothing that are not permissible at HMS. If you have any questions or concerns, please email me at tolbertu@clarke.k12.ga.us.

Below you will find the dress code specific to HMS. 


Amended Uniform Information 2018-2019

Rain Plan: 

The district has used our current building for schools under construction many times, however, this is the first time that the building has been used with middle school students.  The building is not as conducive to transitions that middle school students need to make thus it does pose some challenges and we continually are working to improve on these challenges.

The rain poses additional issues when we need to transition students from learning cottages to the building. The Hilsman staff worked collaboratively to developed a rain plan for our students, due to the fact students must transition outside, which as you may know can cause issues with student safety.  Please note that the rain plan impacts all students at Hilsman. The rain plan consists of our teachers transitioning to designated classrooms to conduct their classes. Our students are not losing any instructional time.

I have communicated with staff that if we need to revisit the plan that was developed, I am more than happy to do so to accommodate my staff and students.  We are working with the office of facilities about overhang structures to assist us with this issue. If you have any questions or concerns related to this plan, please feel free to contact Principal Tolbert at 706-548-7281.

The week at a Glance:

Monday
PSP
21st Century
4:00-6:00 FFA Outdoor Cooking Lesson: FFA Members can come and learn how to use Dutch Ovens- Bring a jacket we will be outside (under a shelter).

Tuesday
PSP 
21st Century
FFA Agriscience Fair Meeting 4-5 (You must attend either Tuesday or Thursday to compete)
Honor's Dinner

Wednesday
21st Century

Thursday
21st Century
FFA Agriscience Fair Meeting 4-5 (You must attend either Tuesday or Thursday to compete)

Sport: Basketball Who: HMS vs. BHL When: Thursday, 11/29/18 Time: Girls-4:30, Boys-5:30 Where: Burney Harris Lyons Middle School

Friday-Spirit shirts and uniform bottoms

Week of 11/11/18

Quote of the Week: 


Good afternoon Panther Nation!

Cheers to a great week at Hilsman. I would like to congratulate our Panther Girls and Boys Basketball Team. Although the girls did not win last week, they played with heart! Our boys got their first win of the season. We are in for what appears to be a great season!

As we are approaching the Thanksgiving Season, I would like to extend my gratitude to our school community. Your continued support of Hilsman is greatly appreciated by myself and our staff. We are truly a village supporting the education of our youth. Thank you Panther Nation! 

Thank you,

Principal Tolbert


Grade Level Blogs

6th Grade: hilsman6.blogspot.com

7th Grade: www.hilsman7.blogspot.com

8th Grade: http://hilsman8.blogspot.com/ 

Announcements 

Tomorrow is College and Career Day! It is important that we all come dressed in our college shirts and khaki pants/black pants or our Career gear! Data collected last month revealed that 78% of our staff and students were dressed in the appropriate attire! This is growth! Let's shoot for 100% tomorrow! We can do it! 

Orchestra News

Our Fall Orchestra Concert is Wednesday, November 14th at 6:30. The concert will be held at Cedar Shoals High School in the Fine Arts Auditorium. All orchestra students will perform and friends, family, and guests are encouraged to attend. Students will need to report to the Cedar Shoals Orchestra Room between 5:45 and 6:00 ALREADY dressed in their concert attire. (Black collared uniform shirt and black or khaki long pants or skirts.) Violin and viola students will need to bring their own instruments from HMS to Cedar Shoals that day. I will remind them in class. Cellists with home cellos are encouraged to bring them to the concert so we don't have to share. I will transport school cellos and basses for students without personal instruments. The students have been working so hard, and they can't wait to show you all they've accomplished! Please remember that orchestra concerts are a required and graded event for all orchestra students. Contact Ms. Floyd for more info. Floydr@clarke.k12.ga.us or ext 29365

News from Mrs. Hughes

America Recycles Day will be on Thursday, November 15. Hilsman will collect aluminum cans and used health and beauty product containers. These items will be sold and the money earned will be donated to the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia and UNICEF.
We will wear GREEN shirts and jeans to promote Green initiatives at Hilsman and in our community on Thursday, November 15.

Please Support Team Gora

Hilsman family,
Team Gora's annual fruit sale is going on now through November 15. Please contact Mr. Dorsey if you would like to check out the options and/or place an order (dorseyr@clarke.k12.ga.us). All funds will be used to provide opportunities for our students to participate in Community Based Instruction field trips. Thank you for your support!

Honors Celebration

Please join Principal Tolbert on November 27, 2018, at 6:30 pm in the cafeteria to celebrate students who earned all As or As and Bs in the first quarter grading period. I am extremely proud of our students and their accomplishments! Invitations will be given to students this week.

Basketball Schedules

Please come out and support our Panther Nation Basketball Teams.

Season Game Dates:	Opponent	Girls' Game Time 4:30 Boys' Game Time 5:30
Thursday, November 8, 2018	Coile Middle School	4:30 PM- 5:30 PM
Thursday, December 13, 2018	Clarke Middle School	4:30 PM - 5:30 PM
Thursday, January 10, 2019	Burney Harris	4:30 PM - 5:30 PM
Wednesday, December 5, 2018	Coile Middle School	4:30 PM- 5:30 PM

The Week at a Glance

Monday- College or Career Day
21st Century
PSP

Tuesday
21st Century
PSP

Wednesday
21st Century

Thursday
21st Century
Go Green at Hilsman (Green shirts and Jeans for staff and students)

Basketball HMS vs. CMS Date: 11/15/18 Time: Girls :4:30 , Boys: 5:30 Where: Clarke Middle School

Friday
21st Century

Week of 11/4/2018

Quote of the Week:

“Education...is painful, continual and difficult work to be done in kindness, by watching, by warning,...  by praise, but above all -- by example.” -- John Ruskin

Good Sunday Panther Nation!

We are preparing for another week at HMS! As we continue to focus our attention on improving the academic and behavior of our students, I want to reiterate our theme to our school community that "It Takes a Village." It takes a village to carry out our vision which states that we are building a culture of high expectations and equity where all students grow academically and socially to improve our community and our world.

Panther Nation, we can not do this work without your support. We must all work together to move our school and our students to higher grounds. Therefore, I am challenging every member of our school community to uphold the core beliefs of Hilsman and CCSD. Please speak to your scholar(s) about the importance of showing respect to others, solving conflicts without violence, doing well academically, and being present at school. IF we all work together then we can make a difference at HMS.

As your leader I can not stress the importance of high parental involvement at Hilsman. It makes a difference in the education of a child! If you can not be involved due to circumstances beyond your control, I encourage you to work with another adult to help serve as a liaison between you and the school. We are always standing in the middle to help our students and our parents. This is an all call for everyone to get involved in the school! Come out and support the programs, games, conferences, and the work that we are doing to elevate our academics and turn our school around to be a beacon of light in our community.

Principal Tolbert

Announcements

Picture Information

Fall Picture Day for Retakes/Make-ups, Clubs, and Teams at Hilsman is Thursday, Nov. 8th. Students needing to have their pictures taken will need to be in uniform. Certain clubs and teams will not have their pictures taken for the yearbook until the spring. Coaches/Sponsors will let students know if they will be taking club/team pictures next week as well as what to wear for the group picture. Homeroom teachers will give out order forms during the week of Nov. 5th to students who need to retake or make-up pictures. Pricing information is on the order forms. Extra order forms are in the front office should you not receive one next week.

Binder Checks

Tomorrow is Dress Down Day for students that have met the binder checks requirements. If your child has a discrepancy with their point sheet, please email Ms. Tolbert. It is important that the students abide by our dress code. Remember that jeans or pants may not have any rips, tears,or wholes. No mid-drifts, halters, or sleeveless shirts. Slides art not permitted.

PSP

Parents if your child is signed up to participate in PSP, please be sure that they are reporting on Mondays and Tuesdays. This program is free and offers remediation in the areas of Math and Language Arts. If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Tonya Ward at tward@clarke.k12.ga.us or 706-548-7281.


Honors' Reception

Here is to all of the parents of students that earned all As or As and Bs during the first 9 weeks of school. Ms. Tolbert would like to extend an invitation to you and your scholar to join her in an Evening of Excellence on November 27th at 6:30 pm at Hilsman Middle School. Invitations will be given to the students no later than Friday! Please mark your calendars.


Week at a Glance

Monday
PSP
21st Century
Binder Dress Down Day


Tuesday-NO School-Exercise your right to VOTE

Wednesday
21st Century


Thursday
21st Century
HMS vs. Coile Middle School

Date: Thursday, 11/8/18 Time: Girls-4:30, Boys-5:30 Location: Hilsman Middle, old location

Friday
21st Century