Week of 9/11/17

Quote of the Week: 

Wow, Wow, Wow! It has been a week thus far. I am thankful that many in the Hilsman Community survived the storm. It was definitely a time of distress for all of us but the bright side is that we are all safe with minimum damage to our homes and lives. I realize that there are many families that are still without power, please contact us at the school or by email if you are in need of any assistance. Thank you to Mrs. Fillingim and other members of our PTO for your continuous communication with the community. It was greatly appreciated.

Tomorrow we are back at school. Although there are many with sad faces, I must admit I missed the students/staff of Hilsman and is looking forward to our return to school. Due to the unexpected time away from school, I am asking that you all remain patient with our staff as we work to make changes to lesson plans and events that were planned for this week. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact any teacher or member of our administrators staff.

Thank you to the parents that participated in last week's Principal's Coffee. The staff that presented did a phenomenal job of providing engaging instruction about Google Classroom. If you missed it, please do not worry, Mr. Hussain agreed to create a short video to help get you Google Classroom ready too! In the mean time, if you have questions, contact any of our staff members.

I hope most of the students had an opportunity to enjoy the beautiful weather today. It is going to be a great relief for many of them to return to school and see all of their friends. I am sure there is plenty to get caught up on! Please remind them of the uniform, behavior, and academic expectations as they are preparing to return tomorrow. We are all back in business! See you soon.

Ms. Tolbert

Announcements:

Cookie Dough Fundraiser

We are asking every student to sell at least 1 bucket of cookie dough. This fundraiser will support our PBIS, student, and teacher activities. If we all commit to just one bucket, we can raise over 5,000.00! We can do this. A packet was sent home last week with every student. The last day for the fundraiser will be September 27th! There is also an online site. Please consider helping with this initiative. Please click the link below to view the parent letter.

https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ui=2&ik=4aadd8b767&view=att&th=15e4f6cfbc74061d&attid=0.1&disp=inline&realattid=f_j76urtcl0&safe=1&zw

21st Century

21st CCLC will run in the morning from 7 till 8 AM and afternoon from 3:45 till 6 PM and Friday morning from 7 till 8AM.  Hopefully next week will be a normal schedule.

 Volleyball Team

 If we have school, please plan to attend practice on both Thursday and Friday from 4-6 pm. 

Yearbook and Picture day Information

The cost of yearbooks through 2/28/18 is $22.00. As of 3/1, the cost goes up to either $25. Yearbook order forms were distributed to all teachers in their mailboxes early last week, so all homeroom students should have been provided with the order form with pricing and particulars to take home.

Picture Day is Tuesday, September 19th! Students will need to be dressed in uniform attire. Fall pictures are used for the yearbook and it is our desire to be uniformed. Students will be allowed to be out of uniform for Spring pictures. Lifetouch is our provider this year. If you are in need of an order form, please contact Mrs. Hubbard.

Week at a Glance

Thursday

Agriscience Fair Practice, ENR, Floral Design and Quiz 4:00-5:00

8th grade Washington, D.C. Trip meeting- 6PM Room 506

Friday

SAE Check in All Ag Classes. 2 hours and 2 pictures are due on Google Classroom. 

Week of 9/04/2017

Quote of the Week:

Good afternoon,

We are all super excited about the three day weekend! Football season is in the air and excitement is buzzing throughout Hilsman. It is going to be a great weekend in the city of Athens. I do ask that while we are enjoying the game and time with loved ones that we remember that families in Houston, TX and surrounding areas that have suffered a lot of loss. Although we have many that are in need at Hilsman, our staff and students are working on ways that we can help the victims of Hurricane Harvey. We ask that you please support our efforts. If you would like to suggest some ideas as to how we can be of assistance, please do not hesitate to contact Mrs. Maxey or Mr. Martin.

Today, we had our first uniform free day. Most of our students earned the incentive and did a great job of following the dress code. Please continue to encourage your scholars to follow the PAWS Expectations. We are almost at the mid term grading period for the first term. I recommend that you ensure that your children are progressing well in their classes. If you are not connected to Parent Portal, I encourage you to get connected to stay abreast of your child's progress. As always, if you have concerns, please contact your child's teacher(s). Parents are welcome into the building at anytime to observe. If there is a need to speak with a teacher, we ask that you schedule a conference. Otherwise, please feel free to come to Hilsman at anytime! Have a great weekend and see you all Tuesday.

U. Tolbert

Announcements

Hilsman Trashes Hunger & Harvey!

Hilsman Middle School's Trash Hunger Campaign is now Trashing Hurricane Harvey!  

We collect old health and beauty products containers, ship them to Terra Cycle, and Terra Cycle sends a payment in our school's honor to UNICEF, the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia, and now to the American Red Cross for Hurricane Harvey to help victims meet their needs.  This fall, Terra Cycle will double the credit they provide for health and beauty product containers if we donate the earnings to Hurricane Harvey Relief through their partnership with the American Red Cross.  For example, an empty shampoo container or nail polish bottle that is usually worth 5 cents will now be worth 10 cents.  

Please save your old health and beauty product containers to help us Trash Harvey and help people impacted by this tragic storm.  

Slide here:  ​

 Trash Harvey Slide

Washington D. C.Trip Information Meeting

We will host our WorldStrides D.C. Trip parent meeting on Thursday 9/14/17 at 6:00 pm in room 506.

Thanks

E.Blake

MAKEUP WORK AND TUTORING AVAILABLE TUESDAYS FROM 4 - 5! 

Students missing work may stay with Ms. Jones every Tuesday in room 112 to finish assignments.  I will also provide tutoring as needed.  Two requirements:  make arrangements with Ms. Jones the day before and MAKE SURE YOU ARE PICKED UP NO LATER THAN 5:00 p.m.  Bring a  note to Ms. Jones if your parent is okay with your walking home.

Cookie Dough Fundraiser

We are preparing to gear up for our 1st fundraiser of the year. Hilsman is partnering with Great American to sell cookie dough as a means of raising funds. The funds will be used to help support our PBIS initiatives, community outreach programs, and other school based activities. Packets will be sent home Tuesday with every student. I am asking that every family commit to selling just two buckets of cookie dough. If we all commit to doing this, we could potentially raise over 5,000.00! Please support our efforts! More information regarding prizes will be given next week!

Answers from Ms.T 

PTO School Store- one day a week with items to sell? 

This is an awesome idea. However, members of our SpEd Department would like to run a school store to help raise funding for their Community Base Instruction field trips. In addition, they would like an opportunity to operate the store to help students practice their daily living skills. I would suggest building a partnership with PTO and our SpEd Dept.

Converse with cluster school PTO officers from our feeder schools?

This is actually a PTO decision. I think it is great to work with the officers from our feeder schools in an effort to build community as well as help with the transition to middle school. In an like manner, getting the Local School Governance Teams working together is also another way to do this work.

Wish they could carry backpacks.

Due to safety concerns, our students are not allowed to carry book bags throughout the day at school. They are given frequent locker breaks in an effort to keep them from carrying too many supplies throughout the day. The small messenger bags that hold the laptops or trapper keeper binders are permissible. 

Homework- systematically assigned, i.e. weekly, all assignments given at once in order to support time management.

This is a teacher based decision. I realize that it is a great way of helping to keep students organized but no directive is given to the teachers from the administrators regarding homework. There are guidelines regarding the purpose of homework and the grade weight. I will submit your suggestion to the content teachers.

Support each science class with a class pet and supplies for class projects.

We welcome any support with supplies to help our teachers and students with projects. We have not entertained having class pets since we have a great AgriScience program at Hilsman. My suggestion would be to speak directly to the teacher to see if having a class pet is something that they would like to consider as apart of their class. Just a reminder that we do have to consider students with allergies.

Can students carry computers in drawstring bags?

Drawstring bags are not allowed for computers however students are allowed to carry their computers in a small messenger or laptop bag.

Week at a Glance

Monday- NO SCHOOL

Tuesday

MathCounts meets from 4-5:30. All students are welcome. Get an application from Mr. Hussain or Mrs. Dalton

Wednesday

Thursday

Volleyball Game: HMS v. CMS @ HMS @ 4:30

Friday

JagNation News

9/5/17 
Cedar v. Rockdale @ 5:30

9-6-17 

Cedar v. Lake Oconee Academy (Softball) @ 5:00

9-7-17

Cedar v. Flowery Branch (Softball Game) @ 5:15

C Team Football v. North Oconee @ 5:30 @ N. Oconee

9-8-17

Cedar Varsity v. North Oconee @ 7:30 @ Cedar

Week of 8/27/2017

Quote of the Week 

“The difference between school and life? In school, you’re taught a lesson and then given a test. In life, you’re given a test that teaches you a lesson.”

Tom Bodett

Greetings,

Another great week went down in the books of Hilsman Middle School. Although the week was busy with after school events and meetings, the students remained focused and had a productive week. Thank you the to the families that came out to the Annual Title 1, PTO, Building Construction, and LSGT meetings. Meaningful discussions occurred that will help lead all of our stakeholders forward together. If you missed the meetings and would like to know the happenings, please do not hesitate to contact Hilsman or the PTO President, Mrs. Fillingim.

As we continue to move forward together, our staff is asking that you help remind your scholars of their responsibility to their education. It is important that arrive to school prepared to learn. Assignments must be completed with accuracy and students must be present at school. It is equally important that they report to class on time to avoid being marked tardy or receiving consequences for being caught in the midst of a hallway sweep. As elementary as it sounds, remind students to keep their hands to themselves. We are stressing that "we do not play at Hilsman". Playing often leads to fights or verbal altercation. Playing is taunting or play fighting. Consequences will be stiff for students who engage in these activities that result in an altercation. Lastly, students must be reminded that ALL students have the right to a free and appropriate education. Constant disruptions to the learning environment is not acceptable and will be handled according to the CCSD Student Code of Conduct. Please be sure to review the expectations and help our staff create a productive learning environment. 

New students and staff were inducted into their house Friday! It is now time to begin earning house points and incentives. Become involved in the healthy competition. Mr. Forker and the PBIS Team is working hard to organize fun and student centered incentives to create a positive school climate. If you have any great ideas, please feel free to share them with us!

Thank you for your continued support of Hilsman! Below you will find announcements and the week at a glance.

Best,
U. Tolbert


Announcements:

Friday morning you all may have noticed that we had to evacuate our building and emergency vehicles were on site. This was due to a fire alarm sensor alerting us that there was smoke in the ducts in the new gym. Nothing was on fire and the gym was cleared or occupancy. At no itme was our students' safety in jeopardy. Thank you for the phone calls and emails to check on us! 

School begins at 8:00! Students are in homeroom from 8:00-8:22 after which time they transition to ELT. If students arrive late due to buses, they are excused. Regardless of the reason for the tardy, if a student is not in class, they will be marked absent for that period. If it is excused, we will code them correctly at the end of the day. This does NOT affect perfect attendance. If a student is absent from school, you must send in an excuse to have it coded as excused. Again, regardless of the reason, the student is coded absent and this WILL impact perfect attendance. If students are absent and no excuse is submitted, they will be coded as non-excused. We do have a tardy bell at Hilsman. Three minutes is allowed for students to transition to the next class. In most cases, students are able to transition within the allotted time. If they are late, the teacher will code it as a tardy.

We have noticed several students arriving in navy blue shirts and pants. Remember students are allowed to wear black, gold, or white polo style shirts. The pants are to be black or khaki. NO legging, jegging, jogging, or JEAN material.  All jackets must be SOLID black, white, gold, or gray. Hilsman hoodies and jackets are acceptable. They can be purchased in the front office. Slides are not allowed at Hilsman. Please ensure that your child complies with the dress code to avoid consequences. 

There has been some discussion regarding restroom breaks at Hilsman. Each grade level have scheduled locker and restroom breaks at least 3 to 4 times a day. We do not allow students to leave class the first and last 15 minutes of each class. This is due us wanting to ensure students do not miss the beginning expectations as well as the closing of instruction. However, students will be released to use the restroom in the case of an emergency. 

Panther Prowl 

The Panther Prowl will be held on February 3, 2017! This will be Hilsman's 2nd 5k! Please plan now to participate.  If you would like to be a sponsor, we would greatly appreciate that! You can email Meganne Skinner, or Christina Fassbender if you would like more information. More details coming about when and how to sign up to run. 

Tutoring for 6th Grade

Ms. Jones will be offering credit recovery and tutoring every Tuesday in room 112 until 5:00 p.m.  Please make arrangements to stay the day before.  ALL STUDENTS MUST BE PICKED UP AT 5:00 P.M. OR HAVE A NOTE TO WALK HOME.

Want to Code?

FourAthens Ruby Coding Camp registration time is here! The camp will be held Mondays and Wednesday from 4:00 -5:30 pm in the Hilsman Media Center. Parents can request full or partial scholarships at terrell@fourathens.com and register their child at www.fourathens.com/athenscodecamp beginning Tuesday.

MathCounts

MathCounts will begin next Thursday from  4:00-5:30 pm. Get an application from Mr. Hussain or Mrs. Dalton.

Week at a Glance:

Monday:

Agriscience Fair Nationals Meeting


Tuesday:

SAE Workday 4:00- 5:00 pm (Meet in Ms. Smith's room after school

ENR, Floral Design and Quiz Practice

1st Volley Ball Game HMS v/s WRC @ Hilsman @ 4:30. Please come out and support our Volley Ball Team

Wednesday:

SAE Check for all Ag classes. 1 hour and 1 picture due.

Thursday:

ENR Practice at Jackson County


Friday: Spirit shirt/ khaki or black pants

8/21/2017

Quote of the Week: 

Good afternoon,

Thank you for another great week of school. The students are quickly getting into the daily routines and settling with their schedules. I realize that the schedule changing process was challenging however your patience was greatly appreciated. Thank you to Mrs. Brinkley for working diligently with the schedules. There are still a few minor adjustments to be made but none of which would upset a student's entire schedule. This week is going to be filled with events and meetings. Please read the announcements carefully. I also encourage you to come out, be heard, and support Hilsman in the many meetings that will be taking place this week.

As many are aware, one of our students was involved in an accident Friday after school. The student was biking home when the back of his bicycle was struck by a car, resulting in him being thrown to the ground. Thankfully, the child was not critically injured and suffered a scratch on the knee. Our staff and emergency personnel immediately responded to the accident scene. The child was released to the  parents after being evaluated by EMS. Thank you to all that stopped to help and especially to the two students that alerted the school as well as assisted on the scene. It was a job well done by everyone! Although the student was not at fault, parents please remind your child to be safe when walking or biking to school. Parents we are also asking that you remain mindful of your speed in the parking lot as your are dropping off/picking up your child from school. Lastly, be sure not to block cars or park in the circle at Gaines as you are waiting to pick up your child from Hilsman. Thank you for support and we will see around campus this week!

Below are your weekly announcements:

Eclipse Ready

Monday, we will witness a spectacular event, the solar eclipse. Students are allowed to wear spirit shirts and khaki/black bottoms. I highly recommend that students wear shorts as it will be warm. We are also recommending that students bring a towel to sit on along with snacks to enjoy as they observe the eclipse. I have attached a copy of what the day at Hilsman will look like Monday. Parents are welcome to join us.

Please click below to view Monday's schedule. Thanks to Mrs. Hogan, the day is well organized to ensure that our students enjoy the eclipse, receive instruction, and are safe!

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xTJu9dwZh3i1Fu3oVplFS7YcE1EjUoKcUb3f2v5cMr4/edit?ts=59946c07

Below is the initial letter sent from the District. This letter was sent home with all of our students. 

https://docs.google.com/a/clarke.k12.ga.us/document/d/1TQhTDIXN0JrikADXVF1KJIc8oZQYT3bBl3iRIqGorBU/edit?usp=sharing_eil&ts=59934043

More correspondence was provided from the District as of Friday regarding the eclipse! Please read below:

Dear Parents, 

As we prepare for the eclipse on Monday, please be reminded of the following safety precautions. It is never safe to look directly at the sun - even on a day when an eclipse is not occurring. The uniqueness of the solar eclipse on August 21 is that the brightness of the sun allows for a person to stare into the sun, creating a significant health concern.  At dismissal on Monday, the sun will still be partially eclipsed and students may be tempted to look at it directly. Please share the following information with students:

• Glasses should be worn any time you look up to observe the eclipse.  Remember, "if you look at the sky, cover your eyes."

• Bus windows should remain closed during the ride home from school on Monday.  Opening a bus window will result in a school disciplinary action.

Bus drivers have been instructed to be vigilant about ensuring bus windows are closed on the ride home on Monday, August 21. 

The event on Monday will be very exciting, but please remember to be safe! 

Annual Title 1 Meeting

Our Annual Title 1 Meeting will be held Tuesday, August 22, 2017 at 6:00 pm in the Media Center. Please consider attending to hear how Title 1 impacts Hilsman.

PTO Meeting

Our first PTO meeting of the year will be held, Tuesday, August 22, 2017 at 6:30 pm in the Media Center. This is immediately following the Title 1 meeting. Again, you are encouraged to come out and get involved!

Building Construction Meeting

If you would like to be apart of the building renovation process, please join us on Wednesday, August 23, 2017 at 6:00 in the Media Center. Initial plans are completed and will be shared with the committee. 

Scholastic Reading and Math Inventories

Beginning Tuesday, we will be administering a reading and math screener to all students. You may have heard this referred to as SRI or SMI. The screeners are important as the data is used to measure students' reading lexile and math fluency. It is administered electronically. Encourage your child to do their best! This data is a crucial component of students' academic progress. They MUST and NEED to take it SERIOUS!

Discipline

As the students are becoming more settled in their routines, we want to remind them of the PAWS Expectations. You are encouraged to review the expectations with your child as well as the Code of Conduct. 

Uniform Reminder

We will begin issuing consequences this week for uniform violations. Students must wear a black, gold, or white polo style shirt. Pants must be khaki or black. Students can not wear leggings, jeggings, jogger, or jean material. Jackets are to be solid black, white, gray, or gold. Students are also  allowed to wear Hilsman hoodies/jackets at anytime. Closed toe shoes should be worn at all times. Flip-flops and slides are not permitted. We are asking that you ensure students adhere to the uniform policy to avoid consequences. If there is any student that is in need of uniform assistance, please contact our front office.

Week at a Glance

Monday- Eclipse Day at Hilsman

Tuesday- Annual Title 1 Meeting-6:00

                PTO Meeting at 6:30

                 SRI Administration (Reading Inventory)

Career Development Event Practice for anyone interested in competing should come to the meeting from 4:00-5:00 in Ms. Smith's room.

Wednesday-Building Construction Committee Meeting-6:00

Thursday- SMI Administration- (Math Inventory)

Friday-Spirit Shirt Day/khaki or black pants

Week of 8/14/2017

Quote of the Week: 


Greetings,

What a strong finish to a new year and spectacular end to a first week! The students have been doing a phenomenal job of learning the PAWS expectations and putting them into action. Our faculty and staff is continuously working to perfect our routines in an effort to have a great year. As we are perfecting our routines, I ask for your continued patience. Schedules are well on their way to being finalized but changes will continue to occur next week. We are making some adjustments due to an increase in enrollment. This is a great issue to face. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact our front office. Below you will find a few announcements and the week at a glance. Thank you parents! You too have been superior this week! 

Ms. Tolbert

Announcements:

Uniforms

Remember that the uniform policy allows for khaki or black pants. The pants can NOT be of jean, jegging, legging, or jogger material. Students must wear a black, white, or gold polo style shirt. We understand that it has been difficult to find the gold shirts. Yellow shirts are acceptable. We have noticed that many students are wearing black jeans. Please help us continue to wear black and remind the students that jeans are not allowed. It is also important to remember that they must wear a white or gold polo if they are wearing black pants. 

Code or Conduct

Every child was given a copy of the CCSD Student Code of Conduct. I encourage you to read the handbook. Please sign and return the blue form to your child's homeroom teacher.

Attendance 

The school day begins at 8:00. Students are marked tardy at 8:25. The first period of the day is Extended Learning Time (ELT). It is important to ensure that your child arrives on time and is prepared to learn.  It is equally important to make sure that they are present during ELT. ELT is a time that the teachers provide remediation as well as acceleration. It is important for our students to be present during ELT.

• 21st Century will begin September 5th. Please see Mrs. Dalton for more information regarding registration.

• If you are interested in serving on our Building Construction Committee, our next meeting will be held on August 23rd at 5:30 pm in our Media Center.  

• The next LSGT Meeting will be held on August 24th at 5:30. This meeting will be held at Barnett Shoals Elementary. 

• Free sports physicals will be given on Saturday, August 12th at Clarke Middle School from 9 am-12:00 pm. 

Message from the Media Center

Parents should expect their students to have their Yoga Chromebook mid-week. Homeroom teachers will hand them out after they cover the PAWS expectations for device use: http://bit.ly/Hilsman_Device_Orientation. Students should set-up a charging station at home and charge their devices overnight and bring their device to school every day. It is advised that students leave their chargers at home to prevent damage or loss as a fully-charged Yoga Chromebook will stay charged for a whole day's use. 

Cross Country

Cross Country practice begins Monday. Students need to come with running clothes, bring a physical ASAP, and have a ride to pick them up at 5:30.

Cross Country parent meeting is Thursday, August 17th, at 5:30 in the cafeteria. 

Week at a Glance


Monday: 

FFA Officer Meeting during homeroom 8:00 - 8:25 (please be on time)


Tuesday: 

FFA Meeting 4:00-5:00 (Outside activities so bring a change of clothes and a towel.) Also the last day for $10 dues (Wednesday dues go up to $15).



Wednesday: 



Thursday:

SAE Workday 4:00-5:00 (Meet in Ms. Smith's room after school)
Cross Country Parent Meeting 5:30-Cafeteria



Friday: Spirit shirt day with khaki or black pants

Week of August 7, 2017 Welcome Back

Quote of the Week:



Good afternoon!

The time is here and we are anxiously awaiting the arrival of our students tomorrow. We have worked the past week preparing for the first day of a great year. We will begin our first day of a successful year. The halls are shining, lights are bright,  and the bulletin boards are all nice and right!  School will begin promptly at 8:25 am. I advise that students arrive at the bus stop about 10 minutes earlier than the scheduled time. In addition, with the rain, we may experience a longer than usual car rider line. Please plan accordingly. Schedules will be ready tomorrow. Please know that schedules may be adjusted during the first 10 days of school. If students did not attend Hilfest  and are unaware of their homeroom teacher, we will have rosters posted in the halls. Students are expected to be in our uniform attire tomorrow. If there are families that need support, please contact the front office for more information. I can not express enough how excited we are to receive our students. We are moving forward with the end in mind! It is going to be a great year. Below you will find more information about the week.

Announcements:

Thank you for a great 6th Grade Transition Camp and HilFest! 

We no longer have an A day and a B day! Our Connections Team worked at the end of last year to prepare a schedule that allowed more stability for the students and teachers. Therefore students will rotate Connections every 18 weeks unless they are in year long courses. This will make more sense when you review your child's schedule. The change is welcomed and we believe that it is definitely going to have a great impact on students' transitions, discipline, and grades.

21st Century will begin September 5, 2017. Please register your child for the program as it provides both academic and enrichment opportunities. Remember that this program is mandatory for some of our rising 7th and 8th graders. Contact Mrs. Dalton for more details and registration information.

Each student should receive a CCSD calendar and  Student Code of Conduct. Please review the information and return the blue form ASAP to your child's homeroom teacher.

Every teacher should send home a course syllabus within the first week of school. Again, I ask that you familiarize yourself with the classroom and course expectations.

If there is a schedule concern, please email Ms. Tolbert.

Week at a Glance:

Monday- PRE-PLANNING FOR TEACHERS

Tuesday- PRE-PLANNING FOR TEACHERS

Wednesday - FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL

Thursday

Friday

Hilfest

Good afternoon,

We are super excited about Hilfest tomorrow! We are believing that the weather is going to be beautiful. Please come out and join the fun. We will begin promptly at 10:00 am. Parking will be available in both Hilsman and Gaines parking lots. Overflow parking will be available at Cedar Shoals where a shuttle will run every 10 minutes to Hilsman. 

Draft schedules will not be available tomorrow due to multiple malfunctions with Campus. However, homeroom assignments will be available and posted on the walls. Draft schedules will be ready for students on the first day of school. Please know that we appreciate your patience but want to ensure that students' schedules are accurate. See you all tomorrow!

Thanks,

Ms. Tolbert