• Welcome Message from Dr. Clapp

• Classroom Peeks

• HKMS Happenings

• Ways to get Involved

• and...Upcoming Events!

Dear HKMS Families,

Last night's choral concert was yet another example of how our young adolescents continue to impress me by demonstrating incredible growth, confidence, and pizazz!  Congratulations to Mrs. Gidley and all the chorus students! This is a very exciting time of the year as months of work on music, art, and engineering classes are coming to fruition.  The deepest levels of thinking on long term assignments are being published, shared, discussed, and assessed. I am so proud of all the learning evident in our students and their teachers for creating the conditions to make our learners thrive.  Whether you were at the concert or not, please be sure to check out the videos and images of their inspiring performances in the “classroom peeks'' section. 

Recently, we have received questions from many parents about events, permission slips, and other news that are actually in the weekly newsletter.  This newsletter is your "one stop shop" for everything going on at HKMS.  For those reasons I developed a list of reasons for...

Why you should read the rest of this newsletter:

• Pictures and videos of your children learning, socializing, and growing!

• I aim to make this the only communication we send out every week. So EVERYTHING you need to know is contained herein… like summer reading assignments for JBHS and all the permission slips for end of year events.

• This newsletter received over 200 unique views averaging over four-minutes of engagement per view.  If you are not one of these 200, you're missing out and may be uninformed.

• Upcoming events, final exams, and field trips are all described.

• Local and community news related to HKMS is always in the “happenings” section.

• Do you know how to make HKMS an even better middle school? By adding YOU! Check out the Get Involved section for opportunities to volunteer or participate in events, fundraisers, or drives!

Hoping everyone is keeping their cool as we head into June and the last three weeks of school.  Be sure to take time for yourself, your kids and family this weekend to recharge, and reconnect! Have a terrific weekend.

Sincerely,

Steve Clapp

Principal

Helen Keller Middle School

Find your strength, build upon it, and share it!

Grade 6

Grade 7

Grade 8

Mr. Jockers' linguists are identifying aspects of authors craft in memoirs!

The PSAT Results are in! Students will be spending time next week in Mr. Macaluso's class interpreting and understanding the provided paper results.  The letter above has directions on how you can assess the digital report.  Students will bring home their paper report next week.

School Climate Committee at Work

At this week's meeting, we held student-led focus groups to gather more insight into the student experience and ways we can make it even better.  

A very special day at SSES!  

Grade 8 orchestra students with Mrs. Gidley, Mrs. Mohr, and Dr. Clapp spent Wednesday afternoon with the 5th graders discussing everything from music choices at HKMS to the value of productive struggle.    Dr. Clapp and Mrs. Mohr stayed through the afternoon to get to know the future Keller cougars.

5th-graders "turned over a new leaf" as they struggled to ALL stay on a blanket while turing it over to the HKMS side. Great problem solving, communicaiton, and perservence skills were needed for success!

Nothing better than a round of golf that helps support innovation in our schools!  Consider signing up for the annual ELF Golf Tournament. All proceeds go to support innovative educational opportunities at SSES and HKMS!