Dear HKMS Families,

Tuesday night Rafael Nadal played his last professional tennis match. Over the course of his legendary career he won over 1,000 Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) matches, 92 ATP Titles, 22 ATP Grand Slam titles (including 14 French Opens).  With his elite status, wealth, and influence he could have been a demanding, entitled, controlling, egotistical, and selfish person.  Sometimes our cultural “heroes” get away with these kinds of character traits, because the pressure of being elite requires taking a “take no prisoners” or “kindness is weakness” pathway to success.  Rafael took another path to success.  He is known to be one of the most gracious athletes, always thanking the locker room attendants, ball-retrievers, referees, and his opponents.   After matches he highlighted his opponents' skills, effort, and talent, never boasting of his own prowess or of their weaknesses.  He was as gracious in his successes as in his defeats.  He has used his wealth to build schools in poorer neighborhoods and tennis academies for underprivileged youth all over Spain. Following his last match, he was asked how he wants to be remembered.  It's worth 140 seconds to watch his reply, which I’ve linked here.   

The lesson of Rafael's pathway is one we should all want to pass on to our children.  The idea that success is not about attaining (things, wealth, influence), it's about giving.  As Pablo Picasso once said, “The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.”  As we enter the holiday season I hope we can inspire our children to find their passions and share them with the world.  A few things will be happening at HKMS that align well with these aspirations:

• 300 Boodle Brigade has received and is shipping over 50 boxes from Easton this year! The picture below shows shipments headed to bases in Europe and Asia!  Huge shout outs to Dr. Baca and our Peer Leaders students as well as West Point Mom Gina Hicks for making this amazing project happen. 

• On Wednesday (11/27), we will hold our annual "gratitude assembly" where we gather as a whole community to show our appreciation for each other and those who have made our lives a little better.  As students and staff share their gratitude statements, play games, and enjoy our staff band, I get to take in all the laughter, appreciation, and joy smeared across everyone's faces.  It is my favorite event of the whole year! 

• Following the assembly, students will go back to their homebase for our annual "Door Decorating Contest."  This year's theme is "The Power of Words to Warm our Hearts." It is always so wonderful to see students' plans come to life as they cut, color, collaborate, and celebrate their collective action! 

• On Saturday (12/7) the 8th grade council holds its annual pancake breakfast and toy drive.  The breakfast charges our 8th-graders with running a very "limited-menu" restaurant for 3 hours and it is amazing.  From making batter and serving food, to designing tickets and decorations, the event is 100% student run.  To be successful they must work together, be kind,  communicate clearly, and be gracious.  If you are not already planning to do so, please come and support this highly affirming event (open from 8:00 am - 11:00 am).  

• The 8th grade council is also collecting holiday toys for children who attend the Curiale School in Bridgeport.  Over the weeks that follow the breakfast, student collect, wrap, and deliver toys to children who don't expect much for the holidays.  When our 8th-graders travel to Curiale School and spend the day in the classrooms to give these toys away, it is among the most powerful moments in their lives.  After graduation last year one student said to me, "The toy drive was the best thing we did in middle school, it totally changed what is important to me.  I only wish we could have done it again." 

Next week's newsletter will be a "special edition" focused on the gratitude assembly and door decorating contest.  We hope to spread some of the joy that our amazing students generate to all of you!

This week was another amazing one as we enter the last few days of trimester one!  If you haven't done so already, be sure to check out your child's T1 grades in PowerSchool (link here).  The trimester has only 3 days left, there may still be time to hand in a missing assignment or two!  I hope you can take a few minutes to see all the wonderful teaching and learning in this week's newsletter. 

Wishing you all a restful weekend! 

Sincerely,

Steve Clapp, Ed.D.

Sixth graders in Mrs. Piacente's science classes took a quiz this week on thermal energy.  The quiz was on the program Edulastic which creates interactive images for students to manipulate as they work on solutions.

Students in Mrs. Caldara's Math 7/8 Compacted class completed fraction puzzles. Students were put into random groups of 3, worked on whiteboards, and were only allowed one marker per group. They did an amazing job collaborating with their peers and shared various strategies to help their group solve the problem!

After a warm up quiz, these scientists began to explore the phenomenon of touch and pain in human biology.  How is physical touch transferred and interpreted by the brain? Ask an 8th grader!

8th grade band is pictured here hammering out some of the finer points of this featured piece in the January concert!  Check out the video to see how this one ends. 

The HKMS-PTO ski club is back for the 2024-25 season!