Week of 2/24/2019

Quote of the Week:

Happy Sunny Sunday Panther Nation!

It is great to see the sun shining so brightly today! I sure hope that you all had an opportunity to go for a jog, throw a football with your scholar, or take a leisure stroll through your neighborhood to enjoy the day. Tomorrow we are in it to win it at Hilsman! We are looking forward to a great and productive week with our students and school community. This week will be a busy one, please be sure to read the blog carefully and to be present at our upcoming events.

Did you know that Hilsman’s Science and Energy Team had several winners in the 2019 GreenFest Art, Poetry, and Photography Contest? OMG! We are so proud of our Panthers and would like to recognize Mrs. Hughes for all of her hard work too!  Please join me in congratulating the following students:

• Ava Jansen
• Chloe Smith
• Lillian McGreevy
• Ella Johnson
• Samantha Mifflin
• Thomas Peters (former HMS student)

I would also like to highlight the opening of The Panther Nation Food Pantry. Thanks to Mrs. Stanhope and a group of parents, we have a pantry that is stocked with goods to serve members of our school community with some basic needs. This is a true success and the Panther Nation is excited about planning our grand opening. Please join us tomorrow, February 25, 2016, at 6:00 in the Media Center to become a part of this great initiative.

PTO News

The Hilsman PTO Officers will be meeting immediately following the Panther Nation Outreach Committee on Monday, February 26th to discuss and plan events for the remainder of the year! We are inviting everyone to attend to offer suggestions, support, and your talents to help build momentum for the remainder of the year. Please consider attending the meeting!

Building Construction Meeting

It is no secret that our new home is coming along well! My excitement increases daily as I drive past the construction site. Many of you have reached out to inquire about the move in date and the layout of our new facility. I invite you to join me on Tuesday at 6:00 in the Media Center of Hilsman to hear, see and learn more about the new Hilsman. Our SPLOST members will be on hand to answer any questions as well as to show off the floor plan and colors of our new building!

Before I close the letter for the week, I wanted to remind all of our parents to take the Georgia  Parent Survey. Your voice and participation are vital to our learning community. It will only take a few minutes of your times. Believe it or not, your lack of participation can negatively impact our climate rating. If you do not have access to a computer or smartphone, please come into the school and we will offer you a computer and space to take the survey. Thank you in advance for your participation. Please click on the following link to take the survey: Georgia Parent Survey.

Do not forget to check out your grade level’s blog for more specific information. Cheers to a great week!

Working alongside you,

Principal Tolbert

Annoucements:

It is Read Across America Day at Hilsman

Panthers Celebrate Read Across America Day Friday, March 1st!
  1. Wear a Wacky Hat ! (Can’t cover face.)
  2. Wear Wacky Socks! (Must wear shoes that cover whole foot.)
  3. Wear colorful clothes in honor of Dr. Seuss’ birthday! (Follows school
      dress code; no rips/holes; jeggings, etc.)
  4. Drop Everything And Read (D.E.A.R.)! (Read with your class and teacher
      during Enrichment Time!)
**The homeroom with the highest percentage of students and teachers participating in the fun will win BRAND NEW BOOKS!!!

Come Run with the Panthers

Sign Up for the  Panther Prowl 5K!

https://www.active.com/athens-ga/running/distance-running-races/4th-annual-panther-prowl-5k-run-walk-2019?int=

Students and staff members who enter the Panther Prowl have an opportunity to win a prize pack to be announced after the race.

Mr. Naughton has agreed to buy pizza for any student that beats him the Panther Prowl! Whoa!

Band Information

The 7th and 8th Grade Band will be participating in the GMEA District 14 Large Group Performance Evaluation at East Jackson Comprehensive High School.  The dates are as follows:
7th Grade:  Tuesday, March 5 at 11:00 AM
8th Grade:  Wednesday, March 6 at 11:00 AM.

Calling all softball players

If you are a RISING 8th or 9th grader there will be a softball interest meeting during your lunch period on Tuesday, February 26th. Please see Coach Pullen if you have any questions or concerns!

Family Science Night

Family Science Night
Date:  Thursday, March 21
Time:  5:00-6:30 pm
Location:  Hilsman Cafeteria

Saturday School Fever

Saturday School will be in full effect again this Saturday. Bus Routes are complete. Students should be at their bus routes 20 minutes early. If students need information on their bus route, please see their homeroom teacher or Ms. Ward on the 8th Grade Hall.

Milestone Dates

Below you will find the dates for the administration of the Georgia Milestone Assessments. Please plan accordingly to avoid your child missing any section of the test. Please contact Mr. Forker if you have any questions or concerns.

4/29 - 5/1 : ELA EOC

5/2-5/3 - Math EOC

5/6 - Soc Studies EOC

5/7 - Science EOC

5/8 - 5/10 - EOC Make-Ups

Spring Break Reminder

This is the moment that we have all been waiting for! Spring Break 2019! Spring Break is the week of March 11-15, 2019. Students will also be out on March 18, 2019, due to a Teachers’ Work Day. Parent/Teacher Conferences will be held on March 20-22 and students will be released early from school.

News for Parents of Elevate K12 Spanish Students

We are continuously striving towards excellence in the Elevate K12 Spanish setting. Students have embraced the online platform and are better able to navigate it as they are learning Spanish. Parents, please know that instruction is provided to students Monday - Thursday and a quiz are given every Friday of the week. I am working to gain permission for the online teacher to enter weekly grades into Campus.  This is the current grading system for the online platform:

Current weight for assignments:

Student Participation	20%
Notebooks / Worksheets	20%
Quiz /Project Work	60%

Please check in weekly with your scholar to inquire about their progress in Spanish. Students have access to the platform to their grades and assignments. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Mr.Scott or Ms.Tolbert at 706-548-7281.

Week at a Glance

Monday

21st Century

PSP

Gold Shirt Day- Show Mrs. Martin you have your gold shirt on during homeroom and get a prize!

Tuesday

21st Century

PSP

Boys Soccer Team (Tues) BHL v HMS @ BHL @  4:15

Girls Soccer Team  (Tues) BHL v HMS @ BHL @  5:15

FFA Meeting 4:00-6:00 and wear this years FFA shirt to school with uniform bottoms.

Wednesday

21st Century

$5 FFA Dues (get to participate in anything after this date including Thursday's breakfast- does NOT include a t-shirt- $10 to include a shirt)

Thursday

21st Century

7:30-7:59 FFA Member Donut Breakfast!

Friday

21st Century
FFA Members: Wristband turn in during homeroom if you have all 5 colors! (yellow, green, red, orange, blue) Prizes will be handed out!

Saturday-Saturday School

Upcoming FFA News

March 1- Test/Quiz Makeup 7:45-8:15 and 4:00-4:30
March 5- SAE Workday 4:00-5:00
March 6- SAE Due 3 hours/3 pictures for Test Grade
March 7- Agriscience Fair Projects Due- Practice 4:00-6:00
National FFA Week Celebration Feb 25- March 1-FFA members Only

Week of 2/18/2019

Quote of the Week:

Happy Tuesday Panther Nation!

We are back at it for the week!  I hope that you enjoyed your scholars yesterday. Our teachers and staff were engaged in professional learning throughout the district that allowed us to sharpen our skills in an effort to sharpen our students’ skills and knowledge of the standards. We were excited to welcome everyone back to Hilsman today! We are looking forward to a great week.

It was brought to my attention on Saturday morning that our buses did not operate due to a shortage of transportation staff. We regret not being able to inform our school community in advance however we were not notified until Saturday morning. Thank you to all of the parents that jumped in to help transport students to the school. We greatly appreciated all of your help. Your kind gestures and support really shows how our village is becoming stronger and better every day!

I continue to encourage our school community to promote academic and behavior excellence at Hilsman Middle School. Although we have much work to accomplish within the next three months we have many students that are working hard to earn great grades and serve as role models in the building. I want to take a moment to highlight the effort of both the parents and the students.  Thank you for your commitment to excellence! We are working to begin planning the dinner for 2nd quarter honor students. Our last celebration was a huge success. I am sure that this one will be even better!

Please do not forget to read your grade level’s blog for more detailed information about what is happening this week. We will see everyone on Tuesday!

Better Every Day,

Principal Tolbert

Announcements

Rising 9th Graders Band Information

There will be a parent informational meeting for rising 9th graders interested in band at Cedar Shoals.  Additionally, this meeting will also be for rising 8th-grade parents and students who are interested in marching in the band at Cedar Shoals High School as 8th graders.  The meeting will take place Tuesday, February 19 at 6:00 in the Cedar Band Room.

Come Run with the Panthers

Sign Up for the  Panther Prowl 5K!

https://www.active.com/athens-ga/running/distance-running-races/4th-annual-panther-prowl-5k-run-walk-2019?int=

Students and staff members who enter the Panther Prowl have an opportunity to win a prize pack to be announced after the race.

Panther Nation Outreach Committee

Thank you to Ms. Stanhope for all of her help with establishing the Panther Nation Food Pantry! We have received our first delivery and is working to get the pantry stocked and ready to receive families that are in need of assistance. The committee met last week to establish some basic procedures and routines for the pantry. We invite you to join us on February 25, 2018.

Calling all softball players

If you are a RISING 8th or 9th grader there will be a softball interest meeting during your lunch period on Tuesday, February 26th. Please see Coach Pullen if you have any questions or concerns!

Building Construction Meeting

Our new home is coming along well! The administrators had an opportunity to do a walk through and were overwhelmed with the size and the pure beauty of the building. We will host a Building Construction Committee Meeting on February 26, 2019, at 6:00 pm to share updates and answer any questions related to the new building. Please join us to learn more about our transition and the new building.

Family Science Night

Family Science Night
Date:  Thursday, March 21
Time:  5:00-6:30 pm
Location:  Hilsman Cafeteria

Milestone Dates

Below you will find the dates for the administration of the Georgia Milestone Assessments. Please plan accordingly to avoid your child missing any section of the test. Please contact Mr. Forker if you have any questions or concerns.

4/29 - 5/1 : ELA EOC

5/2-5/3 - Math EOC

5/6 - Soc Studies EOC

5/7 - Science EOC

5/8 - 5/10 - EOC Make-Ups

Spring Break Reminder

This is the moment that we have all been waiting for! Spring Break 2019! Spring Break is the week of March 11-15, 2019. Students will also be out on March 18, 2019, due to a Teachers’ Work Day. Parent/Teacher Conferences will be held on March 20-22 and students will be released early from school.

Local School Governance Team

Are you interested in playing a key role in helping your school grow, plan for the years ahead and constantly improve to benefit students? Consider serving on a Local School Governance Team. These teams give parents, community members and educators a greater voice in important decisions regarding their schools.

Community information sessions will be held on Tuesday, February 26, from 5:30-6:30 at Gaines Elementary School and Wednesday, February 27, from 5:30-6:30 at Oglethorpe Elementary School.

Learn more and apply to serve on an LSGT at https://www.clarke.k12.ga.us/lsgt

Parents, community members and teachers who are interested in serving on your LSGT must complete this form.

CCRPI School Climate Survey

Hello Parents, Guardians & Family Members,

Please take some time to respond to the Georgia Parent Survey, which provides critical information on the Social Emotional health of your Hilsman Middle School. Your voice is critical in the area of Social Emotional Learning, which is one of the three focus areas of the Clarke County School District.

Filling out this survey will also help your school with its CCRPI School Climate Star Rating! Please complete this survey by March 1st!

• How do I take the survey?  CLICK HERE
• How long is the survey? 24 questions.
• How long will it take me to fill out the survey? 10-15 minutes
• What type of device do I need? You should be able to take the survey on any device, including smart phones, laptops, tablets, desktops or netbooks
• Is the survey anonymous? YES!
• What types of questions are asked? Questions focus on Connection to your school; Behavior at your school; Academics at your school; Fair treatment at your school; Safety at your school; Student Relationship at your school; and Maintenance & Cleanliness of your school

Thank you so much in advance for your participation

Week at a Glance

Monday-NO SCHOOL

Tuesday

21st Century

PSP

Agriscience and Nursery Practice 7:15-8:00 and 4:00-5:00 (Lorax movie)

LSGT Meeting-6:00

Wednesday

21st Century

Meet The Mayor for FFA Members who signed up and brought in forms. (Agriscience Worksheet)

Thursday

21st Century

Agriscience and Nursery Practice 7:15-8:00 and 4:00-5:00 (Lorax movie completion) Makeup Test and Quiz Day- 7:45-8:15 and 4:00-4:30 in Mrs. Martin's room.

Friday

21st Century

Agriscience Topic Selection in Class.

Saturday

Saturday School

Week of 2/10/2019

Quote of the Week:

Happy Sunday Panther Nation!

Thank you for your continued support of our Panther Community. It was a busy week at Hilsman Middle School but we are continuing to remain focused on teaching and learning. Saturday School is up and running. On Saturday we doubled the number of students that were in attendance last week. I want to emphasize that this opportunity is available to ALL of our students. It is not a punishment to be in attendance rather an opportunity for students to gain additional instruction to help every child master the standards and meet expectations on the Georgia Milestone Assessments. The program is free of charge and transportation is provided to students that live within HMS’ school zone.

As we continue to promote a positive school climate and culture, I encourage members of our school community to get involved in activities that help provide students with positive experiences within our community. Volunteers are always welcomed at Hilsman and we welcome donations that enable teachers to provide every child an opportunity to participate in projects and labs that are have previously been assigned as home-based projects. We are in the planning phase to host a school dance, establish a school-based food pantry, and restocking our uniform closet to help offer clothing to our families that are in need of assistance. We would love to have your help or donations to ensure that these initiatives are successful.

I want to offer my sincere thanks to our school community for your patience as we continue our search for qualified and committed teachers. At this time we currently have 4 teacher openings, Chorus, 6th grade Math, Interrelated SpEd, and Science. It has been and continues to remain a top priority to fill the openings as soon as possible. We have remained in constant communication with district personnel regarding our needs at Hilsman to be sure that we continue to provide quality instruction to our students. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me at 705-548-7281 or via email at tolbertu@clarke.k12.ga.us.

Working alongside you,

Principal Tolbert

Announcements

Dress Down Fridays

At this time our staff has decided to halt No Dress Down Fridays for the month of February. Although we noticed a decrease in physical aggression, we have noticed an uptick in disrespectful behaviors. Please know that our school data show a significant decrease in our overall discipline infractions. Our school community has been negatively impacted by incidents within our surrounding communities. We are working with local counseling services and community law enforcement agencies to brainstorm interventions to help our students make better decisions and cope with the negative impact of community incidents. If you would like to offer your services to our students, please contact Principal Tolbert.

Discipline Data Review

Monthly Data/No Fight Friday

Food Pantry

We are PROUD to announce the opening of our Panther Nation Food Pantry. With the hard work and dedication of Ms. Katie Stanhope, we were awarded a 500.00 grant to help us get started. A meeting is scheduled for all interested community members that would like to help with this great initiative on Tuesday, February 12, 2019, at 6:00 in the cafeteria. We look forward to seeing you!

Saturday School

Our Student Achievement Data indicates that more than 60% of our students are not meeting or exceeding the learning expectations. Our staff is working daily to provide every child access to differentiated and rigorous instruction. Teachers are offering afterschool tutoring in addition to remediation/enrichment instruction offered in PSP and Saturday School to help our students. It is hard to teach to reach every student when everyone is not participating in the work. I encourage everyone to join the race.

Panther Prowl

Are you ready to run! The Panther Prowl will take place on April 7, 2019, at 2:00 pm. We are in need of sponsors, volunteers, and most importantly, runners! We would love for corporations, local businesses, and families to help support this race.

For more information, contact Catherine Neace at catdemesa@yahoo.com on sponsorship levels.

Sign Up for the  Panther Prowl 5K!

https://www.active.com/athens-ga/running/distance-running-races/4th-annual-panther-prowl-5k-run-walk-2019?int=

Students and staff members who enter the Panther Prowl have an opportunity to win a prize pack to be announced after the race.

8th Grade Washington D.C. Trip

As of Friday, our annual 8th-grade field trip to Washington D.C. was in jeopardy of being canceled due to the low participation. This trip has proven to offer exciting learning opportunities to our students. We are in need of at least 14 students to sign up and make the initial down payment of 100.00 before February 15, 2019, to avoid cancellation. Payment arrangements can be made for the remainder of the balance. Please contact Mr. Blake for more information at blakee@clarke.k12.ga.us.

LSGT Meeting

Hilsman’s Local School Governance Team meets every third Tuesday of the month. We will meet this month at 6:00 in the Media Center.

Building Construction Meeting

Our new home is coming along well! The administrators had an opportunity to do a walk through and were overwhelmed with the size and the pure beauty of the building. We will host a Building Construction Committee Meeting on February 26, 2019, at 6:00 pm to share updates and answer any questions related to the new building. Please join us to learn more about our transition and the new building.

Family Science Night

Family Science Night
Date:  Thursday, March 21
Time:  5:00-6:30 pm
Location:  Hilsman Cafeteria

Calling all softball players

If you are a RISING 8th or 9th grader there will be a softball interest meeting during your lunch period on Tuesday, February 26th. Please see Coach Pullen if you have any questions or concerns!

Important News from the Counselors

The Cottage, Sexual Assault Center & Children's Advocacy Center, will be at Hilsman on February 14th to facilitate a Media Safety presentation to all of our 6th-grade students. The presentation will cover hot topics for middle school students, including social media, inappropriate texting, and cyberbullying. This will be done in small groups so that students have opportunities to interact and ask questions. If you prefer your child not participate in this event, please contact Ms. Moore, School Counselor, by February 13th via email at moorea@clarke.k12.ga.us.

Week at a Glance

Monday

• PSP/21st Century
• AgScience-Creed 3 Crossword Worksheet
• Agriscience/Nursery Landscape 7:15-8:00
• College and Career T-Shirt Day: Students and staff are encouraged to wear a college or career t-shirt and uniform bottoms. Please make sure the college or career is visible, as solid colors are not permitted. If you do not wish to participate, please be in regular uniform.

Tuesday

• PSP/21st Century
• Creed 3 Quiz-  Afterschool: SAE Workday 4-5
• Agriscience/Nursery Landscape 7:15-8:00

Wednesday

• 21st Century
• Creed 4 Worksheet and SAE Check #2 (see Google Classroom for more information)
• Agriscience/Nursery Landscape 7:15-8:00

Thursday

• 21st Century
• Wildlife Test Review
• Agriscience/Nursery Landscape 7:15-8:00
  

Friday

• 21st Century

Saturday-Saturday School-8:00 am

Looking ahead- Ag class test/quiz makeup day on February 21 7:45-8:15 and 4:00-4:30.