For the Week of 12/12 - 12/16
Embedded Files
Welcome Message from Dr. Clapp
Classroom Peeks
Counselor's Corner
HKMS Happenings
Regional Wrap-Up (NEW!)
Drive to Thrive
Ways to get Involved
and...Upcoming Events!
Dear HKMS Families,
It is that time of year when everyone is so busy! From holiday preparations to assignment due dates, it seems the pressure is really “on” all of us right now to make these next few weeks perfect. Our stress will pass on to our children, so be sure to regulate your frustrations and joys as we try to maintain an even keel through the New Year. Three deep breaths will often turn a very emotionally charged moment into a much more controlled one. Remember, they learn to regulate their emotions by watching us (no pressure)! If we want more stable adolescents, we have to be more stable adults (at least in front of them).
In addition to all of the wonderful classroom peeks, HKMS happenings. our counselor's corner, and a drive to thrive, this week also features a new section we are calling “regional wrap-up.” This section will feature news and updates from our five district schools and central office. Two things I’d like to highlight in this section this week:
We will be sending all students home with COVID-19 Antigen Home Tests next week. Please see the letter for a full explanation and directions to opt out or receive more tests.
The state grant providing all schools with “free lunch” is expiring on 1/22/23. Please see the letter for details about the cost of lunch and rectifying any account balances from pre-pandemic times.
It is my ongoing goal to send you only one (n=1) email to you per week (this newsletter). Putting everything into one newsletter frees up your inbox and it adds a bit of length to this document. My big ASK, please be sure to at least “scan” through every section. I often get emails asking about items we have been including in this newsletter, which shows not everyone is reading it to the bottom. If you’d like more emails we can do that! If not, please make this your homework every week, it is our most utilized form of communication with all of you. Also, if you have suggestions on other features we should include, please let me know. Thank you!
Here is a great PRO TIP: We use a Google Site to create the newsletter. The “home” page is our most current newsletter (older newsletters are copied to the archive and available at any time). If you bookmark or save this page (https://sites.google.com/er9.org/hkms-weekly-family-newsletter/current-newsletter), you don't have to open my listserv email every week. We typically “publish” the newsletter by 2:30 PM on Fridays. All you have to do is refresh this page at that time and you’ll be up to date on all things HKMS!
Cheers to another wonderful “nearly winter” weekend in our beautiful corner of the world. I hope you and your family enjoy time together and rest up for our final school week of the calendar year!
Sincerely,
Steven Clapp, Ed.D.
Principal
Helen Keller Middle School
Find your strength, build upon it, and share it!
Grade 6
These mathematicians are showing off their learning as they demonstrate their knowledge of factors and multiples on the SMART board for their classmates.
ILA students are writing personal narrative pieces. They are using this awesome graphic organizer to plan out the components and flow of their stories before digging in!
Grade 7
"Said is Dead!" Seventh graders are working on bringing their narrative writing pieces to a more advanced level with figurative language and more dynamic vocabulary. They even found a new theme song, "Said is Dead!" You can hear them humming the tune as they edit their writing pieces.
7th Science ExperimentAfter conducting experiments in class about about the conservation of mass, students designed and conducted their own experiments.
Grade 8
Presentation to the Class of '27 about all things Joel Barlow! Scheduling classes, joining clubs, trying out for athletics, navigating the building, and more were covered by the high school counselors Scott Reimold and Henry DelAngelo.
8th Grade Barlow Presentation.mp4Here is the full video of the JBHS Presentation to 8th-Graders!
The great amendment debate is on! Mr. D's students grapple with our most important Constitutional rights! Is our freedom from search and seizure more important than our right to petition the government? What is more important to protect, our right to bear arms or our right of free speech? Should we favor our due process rights over our rights to assemble? Super engaging and compelling arguments crafted and judged by our young historians!
FPA
Keller band students never shy away from a challenge! Mr. Dolecki led his students through an exercise of identifying the most difficult measures in each performance piece then they worked together to hone their skills.
Badminton Tournament Semi-Finals---A Real Nail Biter Match!!!
Van Gogh Snow Globes in Art Class
Van Gogh Snow Globes in Art Class
By Sara Terry, MS, NCC, LPCA
HKMS School Counselor
As a counseling team, we have the idea that all students should feel connected and be connected in a positive school climate. We often talk about connectedness and feeling welcomed, but what does that actually look like? As a school-wide initiative, all staff read the book One Trusted Adult (I am sure you have already heard this), but how do we put reading content into action?
As a school-wide team, we have adopted the initiative of having every student feel connected to at least one adult in the building. Part of my work as a School Counselor is to check in with students to simply see how they are doing and help identify who they can go to in this school for support, if need be. Most students were very eager to share who they have the best connection with, and most had at least two! I've had insightful conversations with our scholars and look forward to continuing my support in the realms of academic, social/emotional/behavioral, and overall personal wellness.
Toy Drive Update
Toy Drive Update
Current Donations: 156
Goal: 300 NEW and UNWRAPPED Toys
Our Mission: Give a toy to every child at Curiale School in Bridgeport grades K-4.
We need your help!!!!
We especially need more toys for Kindergarten and First Graders!
LAST DONATION DAY IS NEXT TUESDAY, DECEMBER 20th
Dear HKMS families,
On behalf of the HKMS 8th Grade Council, we would like to inform you of a Toy Drive we are hosting for children and families in need. Over the last several years (with a two-year break during COVID), the Easton community has donated thousands of toys for students that are less fortunate during the holiday season. Without the toys donated by you, some of these students may not have a gift to open up during this time of year. You have the ability to really impact a lot of young lives and bring joy to others. This year we have set a goal to collect over 300 toys and will have 8th grade students deliver them to the James J. Curiale School in Bridgeport on Wednesday, December 21st. We need all of your help in order to reach this goal.
We need new and unwrapped toys for students in kindergarten through fourth grade. The children range in age from 5-10. Some suggested toy donations include, basketballs, footballs, action figures, Legos, Barbie or crafts. No books, stuffed animals, or toys that require batteries please, unless batteries are supplied. When students bring in toys, they will deliver them to the boxes located outside the media center or in the front entryway. Toys can also be dropped off to Ms. Montaine (room 217) or Mr. Bernardi (room 202).
The spots for the field trip will be filled by 8th graders based on their attendance to this point in 8th grade council, and a lottery system tied to donations of wrapping paper, and days spent after school wrapping the presents. Eighth grade students can sign up for wrapping presents by following the link posted on the 8th Grade Council Google Classroom and filling out the electronic form.
The drive continues through December 19th.
On behalf of the HKMS 8th Grade Class Council, we thank you in advance for your support and generosity. We are very motivated to reach our goal of 300 toys to brighten the holidays for the students of the James J. Curiale School in Bridgeport . We could not do it without you. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Sincerely,
Erin Montaine & Jeff Bernardi
8th Grade Council Advisors
emontaine@er9.org
jbernardi@er9.org
Did you know that our amazing 7th-grade math teacher provides extra help, tutoring, and support to ANY child who shows up to Homework Club (every Wednesday from 3:00 - 4:00, in the library)?!?! All you have to do is sign your child up here and your child gets a free hour of help every week on any subject!
Lost and Found is FULL!
Are there any of your child's items in this picture? The L&F is full of instruments with no names, water bottles, notebooks, sweatshirts, and lunch boxes. All will get donated on 12/22. Feel free to come by and check it out, or better yet, send your child to retrieve the item. The L&F is located in the cafeteria.
Weather Impacted Schedules
Three-Hour Delayed Opening
Three-Hour Delayed Opening
Student Council met with representatives from Food Rescue US (the same organization that helped with our last food drive). The students are considering whether HKMS can and should become an official "food rescue" site. Food rescuing is exactly what it sounds like, any food that might end up in the trash, gets saved and delivered to local food pantries. The students would be responsible for organizing and maintaining the collection table (from uneaten fruit and unopened milk to treys of unserved food). Volunteers from Food Rescue Us would pick up and deliver the donations.
Easton Public Library - Chess Club!
Easton Public Library - Chess Club!
Thank you to the PTO and Alina's Cakes & Cookies for the sweet treat for the HKMS staff!
Thank you to the PTO and Alina's Cakes & Cookies for the sweet treat for the HKMS staff!
COVID Test Kits - Being Sent Home Next Week!
Dear HKMS Families,
We will be distributing COVID-19 test kits in the upcoming week. Each student will be given test kits to bring home. If you would like additional kits, or if you do not want any, please let your school nurse know.
Our health office is reporting a rise in respiratory illnesses with students and staff this month and we want to remind everyone about general practices for staying healthy.
Keep your child home when they are sick.
Remind your child about the importance of good handwashing technique to stay healthy.
Teach your child (as needed) how to properly cover their nose and mouth when coughing and sneezing.
Keep your child away from others who are sick.
Remind your child about the importance of staying hydrated, well nourished, and well rested for good health.
Consult with your child’s healthcare provider about getting your child vaccinated as needed.
Consider testing for COVID-19 if your child has respiratory symptoms as many of the respiratory illness symptoms are similar.
Children with a fever must be fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication before returning to school.
Children with vomiting or diarrhea must be symptom-free for 24 hours without the use of symptom-reducing medication before returning to school.
Over-the-counter cold remedies, cough drops, throat lozenges, etc. must be given to the school nurse for administration during school. Children are not allowed to carry or self-administer these medicines while in school.
Thank you for your efforts at home to keep our school healthy, especially during the winter season.
Sincerely,
Steve Clapp (Principal) and Sara Grega (School Nurse)
NOTE: Some of the test kids may have expiration dates that have or will soon pass. We have been assured that these kits have an additional 6 months of effective usage past the date on the box.
"Free School Lunch" Program set to Expire on 1/23/2023
Easton & Redding Transition to Paid Meals on January 20, 2023 (1).pdfA terrific story about a couple of great HKMS alumni making the world a better place. The piece is written by one of our own former students too!
The HKMS Cooking Club is reaching out to the the community for help!
At HKMS we believe all students should be thriving whether performing below, at, or above grade-level standards. This section will highlight just one of the ways we support learners and/or extend their thinking.
Students in 6th-grade science are examining sources and data to trace the origins of the atmosphere.
Some students who were ready for a challenge are using data from NASA to determine scientific evidence for climate change.
https://climate.nasa.gov/scientific-consensus/
Keller Educational Discussions
Keller Educational Discussions
Do you have an area of expertise middle schoolers can learn from? Do you like sharing? We want you to give a KED-Talk! Click here for more information and to sign up!
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@HKMS_easton
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@helen_keller_middle_school
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