For the Week of 9/6 - 9/9

Welcome message from Dr. Clapp
Classroom "Peeks"
The Drive to Thrive
HKMS "Happenings"
Counselor's Corner
Diversity Discussion
Ways to get involved at HKMS
and...Upcoming Events!

“Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much” ~Helen Keller

Dear HKMS Families,

In the 15 months I have had the honor of being the principal of HKMS, never have Dr. Keller's words from above rung so true as they did last night. A HUGE thank you to everyone who made our open house a tremendous success! Special shout-outs to Beth Andrews and Gina Hicks from the PTO, Kathy Thompson from ELF, our staff band Raisin' Helen, and our custodians for setting up and breaking down a pretty involved arrangement. The real heroes of the evening were, of course, the teachers! Below are a ton of pictures from the evening as well as our slide deck (with the Kahoot questions).

As I mentioned last night, we are kicking off two fundraisers next week, one with ELF for our innovative spaces redesign in the cafeteria, and the PTO's BOOST. I've included some rendering of the new space we hope to create in the cafeteria as well as ways to contribute to the cause.

More importantly, this week all classes really kicked into gear with instruction moving from introductions and community building to content, and skill development. Please be sure to scroll through the classroom peeks section to get a taste of the exciting new learning happening here!

Next week I am looking forward to the PTO/Principal's coffee on Thursday at 9:30am. I hope you can join us for an informal gathering of parents and school personnel as we discuss the journey ahead. Next week's coffee is more of a social "get to know us" event. In the coming months, we'll focus on topics such as adolescent brain development, restorative practices, and social-emotional learning.

I hope everyone has a great weekend!

Sincerely,

Steven Clapp, Ed.D.

Principal

Helen Keller Middle School

360 Sport Hill Rd, Easton, CT 06612

(203) 268-8651

sclapp@er9.org

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

Grade 6

What is the difference between an inference and an observation? How do we distinguish between qualitative and quantitative data? These 6th graders know!

Mr. Bernardi working on figuring out the absolute location of places in the world using the lines latitude and longitude.

Grade 7

Seventh grade science students wasted no time diving into a debate about animal testing.

Students in 7th grade social studies are making political and physical maps of the world.

Grade 8

How many drops of water can you fit on a penny?

More than you think, and the penny lab experiment proves it!

Students in 8th grade social studies classes are "voting with their feet" about primary and secondary sources.

FPAs

Art students are preparing for World Peace Day

IMG_2456.mp4

Mat-Ball Madness!

Is it kickball? Is it dodge ball? Nope, its mat-ball...and this video from 6th grade PE show it all!

Mr. Dolecki comes up with the best projects for the general music classes! This one asks students to create a visual biography of their music tastes. He cites a very interesting NYT article detailing how the long-lasting impact the music you like in the middle school years has a disproportional impact on your music tastes throughout your life. That's why you know all the lyrics to NSYNC's first album, even if you haven't listened since you were in middle school!

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.

Mr. Rogers created a unique inquiry-based activity for 7th-grade ILA students. They are exploring all of the 7th-grade units, asking questions, conducting research, and creating videos of their findings to share with their classmates. This will help all students (and parents) know a little of what to expect this year as students improve their reading and writing skills.

Open House 2022!

Parent Poll Results!

If we do a perfect job as a middle school, what one word describes your child at the end of 8th-grade? (The larger the word, the more often it was submitted)

Thank you to all the parents, teachers and staff who made last night's open house such a great event! Below is the slide deck, including the Kahoot game questions!

Sixth grade students set growth mindset goals and last night, parents were able to write their own growth goals for their children on the countertops in Mrs. Maggi's room.

2022-23 HKMS Open House

Worried about the School Chromebook Getting Damaged?

Never fear...Optional Insurance is here!

Use this LINK to access the enrollment form and directions for optional Chromebook Insurance for your Child's School-Issued Chromebook.

The deadline to obtain the insurance is September 23rd.

by Timothy Sather, MA, NCC

Academic Mentor and Social Support Counselor

At HKMS, we believe in promoting student success and well-being through a robust Student Intervention Team, which includes our counseling team of four mental health professionals. The team consists of an Academic Mentor / Social Support Counselor, a School Counselor, a School Psychologist, and a School Social Worker.

Mrs. Kim Heran is starting her twentieth year as our School Social Worker. She holds a Master's in Social Work from Columbia University and has a total of twenty-three years of school experience.
Mrs. Meredith Klatt has been HKMS's School Psychologist for fourteen years, with twenty-six total years in education. She graduated from the University of Texas with a Master's Degree in School Psychology and is a Nationally Certified School Psychologist.
Mrs. Sara Terry, our School Counselor, is beginning her second year at HKMS after two years in other schools. She is a graduate of Western CT State University with a Master's Degree in Counselor Education and is a Nationally Certified Counselor.
Mr. Tim Sather is a School Counselor by training, with a Master's Degree from Fairfield University. He has been in his role as our Academic Mentor and Social Support Counselor for 18 years and also is a Nationally Certified Counselor.
All of our mental health professionals hold CT State Licenses in their respective fields.

The HKMS Counseling Team provides a variety of services, including Individual and Group Counseling, as well as Mrs. Terry's Developmental Guidance lessons. Information regarding these services and curriculum can be found on the HKMS Counseling webpage, which is linked to our school's website under the School Resources, Parents, and Students tabs.

Parents are always welcome to contact the counseling team by phone or email to schedule an appointment. Students are welcome to visit the counseling office in the event of an emergency. If not urgent, or if someone is not available, they can feel free to email any of us to set up a time to meet.

Please visit our HKMS Counseling Webpage (linked here) for contact and more information.

The Easton, Redding, and Region 9 School Districts acknowledge the uniqueness and varied experiences of all students, staff, families, and community members, as well as the uniqueness and experiences of people in our state, country, and the world. The HKMS "Diversity Discussion" is intended to open up conversations with your middle schooler about issues of diversity!

Ms. Mancini's assignments are always posted in English and Portuguese!

In the training we received last year from Dr. Andrea Honigsfeld, she taught us that posting basic directions, instructions, and signage in the "home" languages of students learning English, makes a huge difference in how comfortable English learners are in school and how much more they can learn. It also benefits our English-only students by developing more cultural empathy and understanding.

Discussion: Have you ever been to a country where English is not spoken (and you don't speak the language), and you run into an English speaker or a sign in English? How did that make you feel? How did that impact your experience? It is always great to share these experiences with your middle schooler!

Ms. Mancini's daily agenda is also posted in English and Portuguese!

Keller Educational Discussions

Do you have an area of expertise middle schoolers can learn from? Like sharing? We want you to give a KED-Talk!

Click here for more information and to sign up!

Renderings from the ELF Cafeteria's Innovative Space Redesign! Click here to get involved!

Join our active partnership between the parents, teachers, and administrators for the 2022-23 school year! Help us bring great student-focused initiatives to our schools like cultural events, enrichment programs, parent education events, field trips, and much more.

Click Here to Join

For more info about the Easton PTO check out their full site linked here.

Thinking about getting your middle schooler a cell phone? We strongly encourage everyone to "Wait until 8th-Grade." Before making this huge decision (that is impossible to reverse), please read and consider the "Wait until 8th" pledge below. If none of the kids have them, well then there is no issue.