Note: Every Friday afternoon we publish this newsletter that features "peeks" into classrooms, "happenings" around campus, ways to "get involved,"  some "community clicks" and an "upcoming events" section so you don't miss a thing.  We hope this is the one and only communication we need to send to you every week.  Your task is to read through this and stay connected.  It's also a great tool for starting conversations about school with reluctant middle schoolers who answer "nothing" to your question, "What did you do in school today?"   ENJOY!!

• A Message from Dr. Clapp

• Classroom Peeks

• HKMS Happenings

• Policy Highlight

• Nurse's Notes

• Get Involved!

• Community Clicks 

• Upcoming Events

Dear HKMS Families,

What an amazing first week! Thank you all for preparing you children for a successful start! Whether you're a family with your first rising sixth grader, new to Easton, or a seasoned middle school parent, you're all in for an amazing year of learning and growth.

Other than the "birth-to-three" years, the middle school years (specifically ages 11-14) represent the most intense period of growth and development in a human's entire lifespan. During this incredible time, children's brains undergo a complete remodeling process that deepens their thinking abilities and helps them specialize in the skills and knowledge they're acquiring. The adults they become are greatly influenced by their experiences during these years. Think about it: if you look up the top songs from the year you were in seventh grade, you probably remember almost all the lyrics! Why? Because during these great leaps in growth, the brain is incredibly impressionable, and those songs left an indelible mark. This is precisely why teaching middle schoolers is so important, challenging, and rewarding.

Having worked exclusively with this age group since 1998, and with middle schoolers of our own, Mrs. Mohr and I have a few tips for a successful middle-school parents:

Embrace New Experiences (and Failure!): During these years, it's essential to try new things, fail, and try again and again. As Master Yoda wisely said, "The greatest teacher, failure is." Encourage your child to try out for the play, take up knitting or a new sport, learn an instrument, or sample new cuisines. These experiences help expand the young adolescent mind. And failing a few times? That's natural and necessary for a developing human! Failure is a good thing; it means they're stepping outside their comfort zone and learning perseverance. When they get knocked down, teach them to get back up and try again, perhaps in a different way.

Loosen the Reins (But Don't Let Go)

Our eighth-grade social studies teacher, Mr. D'Agostino, put it best at a PTO coffee last year: "It is important for our students to have guardrails so they don't go too far off course, but those guardrails should be widened every year so they can learn to navigate challenges themselves." While you can loosen some structures at home—allowing for later bedtimes or more independence with chores, homework, or even meal prep—stay involved! Join the PTO, come to parent coffees, concerts, plays, and other school events. We're all on this journey together, and your involvement will help you better understand the process.

Keep the Conversation Flowing

Even if they don't seem like they want to, they need your guidance to navigate adolescence. Keep talking to them every day about the big and the small stuff. Try to avoid closed questions ("Did you have a good day?") and opt for more open-ended ones ("What was the funniest thing that happened today?" or "What's your favorite song, trend, show, or book right now?"). Remember, you're their biggest cheerleader, so get in the game and show interest in their world, even if it means pretending you're into something like "ChickenJockey" (yes, that's real slang from the Minecraft movie!). To help you out, check out this link to a 2025 teen slang vocabulary list. Use their words to either make them cringe or show them that you can slay your drip!

Expect (and Enjoy) the Rollercoaster Ride!

Some days your middle schooler will be a rock star, nailing their homework, chores, friendships, and adult relationships. These are amazing moments to cherish! The next day, they might not be able to find one of their shoes without your help and be completely freaking out (really, how do you lose one shoe?). It's important that you do not get on their rollercoaster with them. Model your emotional regulation for both the good and the challenging parts of adolescence. In the end, it all evens out.

Embrace the "Gloriously Kooky"

The "weirdness" of middle schoolers is a feature, not a bug! As one teacher shared, she loves how "gloriously kooky" her students are and how much fun that brings to her life. Their newfound ability to think abstractly can lead to all sorts of curious behaviors, including creative fiction (a.k.a. lying), even if your child never lied before. All children lie sometimes; that's okay (especially when being empathetic, like saying, "Yes, your new haircut looks great!"). Other times, their words can be hurtful. When that happens, ask: "Who did that story hurt? How can you fix that?" Collectively we've spent over 50 years trying to understand middle school students, and we've learned to embrace their quirkiness.

Most importantly, at HKMS, we love middle schoolers for all their glorious goofiness, endless empathy, and tremendous tenacity. I hope you'll join us in celebrating, advocating for, and enjoying these wonderful years with your child and our amazing learning community.

Sincerely,

Steve Clapp, Ed.D. &   Annie Mohr

Principal Assistant Principal

Mrs. Burke is on a mission to learn every student's name as they spent time this week getting to know each other!

Mr. D's social studies scholars are having some fun by playing a getting to know you either/or debate! 

Eighth grade students ran a practice pacer assessment today in PE to start building their endurance.  The pacer is one of the assessments for the National Physical Fitness Testing.

The First Week of School Photo Dump!!

Dear HKMS Familes,

If your child has a medical condition that requires emergency medication to be kept in the nurses office, please bring it to the school as soon as possible along with the completed medication authorization form. Please check expiration dates, as we are not able to administer expired medication.  It is important for your child’s safety that we have the correct forms, medications and supplies at school in order to respond to an emergency. 

Thank you,

Sara Grega, RN
HKMS School Nurse