Dear HKMS Families,

What a week!  The instrumental and choral concerts were not to be missed.  Congratulations to all our singers and musical performers for bringing their "A-games" to their performances.   Mr. Dolecki and Mrs. Gidley are also to be recognized for their tireless efforts to prepare their students for the concerts.  It's hard to believe that some students had never played an instrument in September!  If you did miss the shows, check the Peeks section below for videos of many of the songs. 

For the first time that anyone can remember, all Easton and Redding students in grades 6-8 took a common mathematics final exam this week.  While the algebra/math final has been part of the grade 8 classes for a number of years, the benefits of having all students prepare for and complete a mutually assured comprehensive final exam are numerous.  Not only can we see what skills and abilities students have retained over the course of the year, teachers can also prepare fall lessons that target those skills and understandings that have slipped away.  In addition, we can compare results across the district and look for opportunities to improve our instruction.  Plus it is a great skill to practice as students head to the high school where nearly all classes have final exams.   Next week the students will be getting the results which will also be posted on Powerschool as soon as possible.  These exams will play a part in determining math placements for the 2024-25 school year.   If you do not hear from your child’s math teacher, that means they are staying “on track” (see math pathways linked here). If your child's math class pathway is changing, you will hear from your child’s teacher by next Friday (6/14).

Our library media specialist Mrs. Gale worked with JRMS's librarian to create a new and improved summer reading assignment.  The "shift" this summer is having students focus on an author, rather than just various titles. Most adult readers tend to get connected to an author and gobble up everything they publish. We now have access to a wonderful resource called BookBreaks which give our school access to remote "author visits" throughout the year.  The summer reading will "prime the pump" as the list of authors matches the list of author-talks we will be engaging with in the fall.   Below is a graphic of the summer trading assignment. 

We have several more culminating activities ahead.  Grade's 6 and 8 will be taking field trips next week.  Our "closing ceremony" for 8th graders will be next Thursday, and our annual field day at the ECC will be on the last day of school.  

For 173 days we have put our hearts and minds into tackling the most important work in the world, and the dividends are evident!  Need some evidence? Check out the concert videos in this week's family newsletter.  I cannot remember a middle school taking on pieces like The Final Countdown (in orchestra) and Allegretto from Symphony No. 7 (in band)!   Every single 8th-grader has now finished and presented their personal interest projects.  Students are building and programming robots, engineering hybrid animals (using AI image creator), and demonstrating their mastery of curricula across the building.  If you need a sign from the universe, the choral concert ended with a giant rainbow! 

I know my head is spinning with all these amazing experiences. I hope this week's newsletter helps you feel a part of it all!

Sincerely,

Steve Clapp, Ed.D.