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December/January 2016-17
Hamlin Herald
Principal’s Corner
Winter 2016/17
Calendar of Events
December:
8th Winter Festival 5-7PM
9th Early Release @1:15
15th PTSO Meeting 6PM
19th-Jan 2nd Winter Break
January:
3rd 7th Grade Boys
Basketball starts
13th
Early Release @1:15
16th MLK Day- No School
19th PTSO Meeting 6PM
26th No school- Grading
Day
27th No School- Teacher
work day
28th Hamlin Winter Grit
Fun Run
Dear Parents:
Over the last nine weeks of school I have noticed an increase in student’s
drinking what are referred to as energy drinks. Having studied the
ingredients found in these drinks this increase in consumption is quite
alarming. The following is a brief outline of information pertaining to
energy drinks and their contents and dangers. Please take a moment to
read and share this information with your son or daughter.
What are energy drinks?
Energy drinks are beverages like Red Bull, Venom, Adrenaline Rush, 180,
ISO Sprint, and Rockstar, which contain large doses of caffeine and other
legal stimulants like ephedrine, guarana, and ginseng. Energy drinks may
contain as much as 80 mg of caffeine, the equivalent of a cup of coffee, and
more than twice as much as the 37 mg. of caffeine in a Mountain Dew, or
the 23 mg. in a Coca-Cola Classic, that's a big punch.
Are there short-term dangers to drinking energy drinks?
Individual responses to caffeine vary, and these drinks should be treated
carefully because of how powerful they are. Energy drinks' stimulating
properties can boost the heart rate and blood pressure (sometimes to the
point of palpitations), dehydrate the body, and, like other stimulants,
prevent sleep.
What are the dangers of using energy drinks?
Energy drinks should not be used while exercising as the combination of
fluid loss from sweating and the diuretic quality of the caffeine can leave
the user severely dehydrated.
Probably the most alarming are the drinks that contain the drug ephedrine,
a stimulant occasionally used in energy drinks that is also included in
decongestants. Combined with caffeine ephedrine has been proven to cause
deadly heart problems.
What are the issues in regards to school and your child’s education?
Due to the large doses of stimulants and sugar in the energy drinks, people
often feel an extreme jolt of energy (the stimulants) followed by extreme
tiredness (the result of the release of insulin) due to the large amount of
sugar ingested. This tiredness can also be characterized as an inability to maintain focus and concentrate.
Energy?
The most stable source of energy is found in the natural foods that we eat. A balanced breakfast, lunch,
and dinner with appropriate snacks mixed in between will supply our bodies with the energy we need to
get through each day and will do so at a rate that does not cause extreme spikes in blood sugar or insulin,
and without the dangers of caffeine, ephedrine, and a host of other stimulants found in energy drinks.
Kevin Wright
Principal
Find us on Facebook and check out our Strangely
Hamlin (Student Newspaper) website!
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ms-strangely-hamlin/
ALICE Emergency Training Information
Families, we thought you'd appreciate an update on the ALICE emergency training in our schools. Last
year, we conducted training for both staff and students. This year, staff will receive refresher drills,
and we will also be conducting practice drills for students.
Middle and high school students will receive two drills in the course of the school year. We will
announce the times of these drills in advance and prepare students beforehand. Students and staff will
practice protocol for three different scenarios in a simulated armed assailant situation: Modified
Lockdown, Lockdown/Barricade and Evacuation.
At all times during the drills, staff will be on the lookout for any individuals who have a negative
reaction to the drills, and counselors will be on hand.
While we know that these incidents, while highly covered by the media are actually quite rare, I think we
can all agree that to be prepared is to be empowered. These drills are vitally important to ensuring that
students and staff understand what is expected of them, and practice scenarios will also help the schools
and emergency responders to continue to refine their procedures and practices.
For more information about ALICE training in our school district,
visit http://www.springfield.k12.or.us/ALICE. Please contact your principal with any questions.
Reminder to All Families
EasyCBM Winter Benchmark Testing is coming soon!!
6th grade: Jan. 5-6, 2017
7th grade: Jan. 11-12, 2017
8th grade: Jan. 9-10, 2017
Students will do their math, reading, and passage reading fluency testing those dates. Makeup testing
will be Jan. 17-20, 2017.
Cell Phones /Electronic Devices … What is the policy??
There has been an increase in the number of students with electronic devices, including cell
phones and I-pods over the last few years. While technology has become accessible and affordable, and
certainly makes keeping in touch with your student easy they have also become a large distraction to the
normal operation of a classroom and school.
Personal electronics in school always present a number of issues, including classroom
disruptions. Because of the increasing disruption that these devices cause, it is necessary to remind both
students and parents of the school’s policy regarding their use.
All electronics need to be turned off and put away between the hours of
8:00 AM and 3:05 PM. If you need to speak with your child or get a message to them, our office staff will
be happy to assist you. Students also have access to a phone through the Student Resource Center during
school hours with prior approval and for emergency use only.
If a student has an electronic device out during school hours, the device will be sent to the main
office and will be returned to the student on the first & second offense, returned to the parent / guardian
on the third offense, and not be allowed back in school on a fourth offense. The aim is to eliminate the
distraction and disruption that these devices cause when students make/receive calls, send/receive text
messages, take pictures and or video, listen to music, or play games during the school day and class time.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding this issue, please contact an administrator at our school.
.Helpful
Hints for Parents
Like a flash, first quarter has come and gone. With it’s passing some parents and students have
reason to celebrate while others are left questioning how they might turn things around. If you haven’t
been able to meet with your child’s teacher and are unsure of the teacher’s classroom procedures now is
the perfect opportunity to do so.
Parents can also assist by working with their child and their child’s teachers to be sure that
assignments are being completed and turned in, and by setting up homework routines as outlined below
in the Homework Checklist for Parents. Together we can work to ensure that your child’s middle school
year is a successful one.
Homework Checklist for Parents
• Provide a quiet, well-lit space, away from distractions and with all the right study materials -- paper,
pens and pencils, books, a dictionary, a desk, etc.
• Try to find a separate space for each of your children, or schedule quiet times for homework in
designated spaces.
• Create a regular schedule, allowing for adequate study and free time.
• Limit TV time, and do not allow it during homework.
• When possible, be available to answer questions. Try doing a problem or two together, then watch as
the child tries the next one.
• Avoid simply giving an answer. Instead, ask questions that let your child see the problem in smaller,
sequential steps.
• Review completed and graded assignments. Discuss errors to be sure your child understands the
material.
Hamlin Sports News
Students can sign up through Willamalane to play after school sports at HMS. The next
sport season is 7th grade boy’s basketball. You can sign up online or at the Willamalane
Center on 32nd Street. Scholarships are available. Practice will start on Tuesday, January
3rd after school.
HMS PTSO News
Hamlin PTSO welcomes any parents to join us at our monthly meetings on
Thursday, December 15th and January 19th from 6-7PM in the HMS Library.
New Communication System Coming
Dear Families,
In an effort to make sure we are able to communicate with you on a regular basis, we ask that you please
make sure we have up-to-date contact information for you.
We have started sending school newsletters, event notices and news from our parent organization
electronically. We will also be starting a new electronic delivery service for flyers from outside
organizations (like Willamalane, KidSports, the library, etc.). Electronic delivery is convenient for both us
and you, and is a much better way of ensuring that information gets from the school into your hands.
Email is by far the easiest way to communicate all of this information. To that end, we ask that you
please share with us your preferred email addresses to receive information. We assure you that the
information you provide is completely confidential and secure, and will only be used to send you
school-approved communication (for example, only flyers from approved nonprofit organizations).
Many of you updated this information at registration, but if your email has changed or changes during
the year, please notify us. Also, if you did not have an email address during registration time, but have
one now, please call or come by the office and let us know.
Chronic Attendance Issues in Oregon
1. Oregon has a chronic absence problem. Almost a quarter of Oregon K-12 students are chronically
absent.
2. Early chronic absences have consequences later. Early absenteeism is associated with continued
attendance problems and lower achievement.
3. There is hope if we look to how successful schools are beating the odds and keeping chronic absence
low. The key is school staff and families working together.
What we do:
•
Ensure teachers take roll regularly so students know someone cares when they miss school.
•
Ensure all classrooms are nurturing and engaging so children want to come to school every
day.
•
Invest in accurate collection and entry of attendance data into student data systems.
•
Calculate and analyze chronic absence and good attendance to discern patterns.
What you can do:
•
Establish and stick to the basic routines (going to bed early, waking up on time, etc.) that will
help your child develop the habit of on-time attendance.
•
Talk to your child about why going to school every day is critical and important unless they are
sick. If your child seems reluctant to go to school, find out why and work with the teacher,
administrator or afterschool provider to get them excited about going to school.
•
Come up with back up plans for who to turn to (another family member, a neighbor or fellow
parents) to help you get your child to school if something comes up (e.g. another child gets
sick, your car breaks down, etc.).
•
Reach out for help if you are experiencing tough times (e.g. transportation, unstable housing,
loss of a job, health problems) that make it difficult to get your child to school. Other parents,
your child’s teacher, principal, social worker, school nurse, after-school providers or
community agencies can help you problem solve or connect you to a needed resource.
La Ausencia crónica en Oregon
1. Oregon tiene un problema de falta crónica. Casi un cuarto de los estudiantes en el estado de Oregon
han faltado 10% o más de los días en el año escolar.
2. La ausencia crónica que occure temprano en la carrera escolar tiene consequencias más tarde. Esta
cantidad del ausentismo ha mostrado una asociación con la continuación de ausencias y la bajada del
nivel de rendimiento escolar.
3. Hay esperanza si miramos a cómo las escuelas exitosas están superando los obstáculos y manteniendo
de bajo la ausencia. La clave es en una fuerte colaboración entre el personal de la escuela y las familias.
Lo que hacemos nosotros:
•
Nos aseguramos que todos los profesores pasan lista con regularidad para que los estudiantes
sepan que alguien en el edificio se preocupa cuando faltan a la escuela.
•
Nos aseguramos de que todas las aulas tienen un ambiente atractivo y emocionante que les
anima a los estududiantes.a que siguen con sus estudios.
•
Invertimos en la exacta recaudación y entrada de datos de asistencia en sistemas de datos
estudiantiles.
•
Calculamos y analizamos la ausencia crónica y la buena asistencia para identificar patrones.
Lo que pueden hacer ustedes:
•
Establecer y que se adhieren a las rutinas básicas (dormirse temprano, despertarse a tiempo,
etc) que ayudarán a su hijo a desarrollar el hábito de asistencia.
•
Hable con su hijo acerca de por qué ir a la escuela todos los días es crítico e importante a menos
que estén enfermos. Si su hijo parece renuente a ir a la escuela, averiguar por qué y trabaje con el
professor o administrador para que se entusiasmen de ir a la escuela.
•
Hagan un plan de copia de seguridad que nombra otra persona responsible en caso que no
pueda usted llevar a su niño/a a la escuela.
•
Busque ayuda si usted está experimentando tiempos difíciles (por ejemplo, problemas de salud,
problemas de transporte, pérdida de un trabajo, etc) que no le permite llevar su niño/ a la
escuela. Otros padres, el maestro de su hijo, el director, trabajador social, la enfermera de la
escuela, o agencias de la comunidad pueden ayudar resolver problemas o encontrar el recurso
necesario.
2017-2018 SPS STUDENT TRANSFER INFORMATION
WITHIN-DISTRICT STUDENT REQUESTS
Within-District (Intra-District) Transfer requests are for students legally residing within Springfield
School District attendance boundaries that wish to attend another school within Springfield.
HIGH PRIORITY: High Priority transfer window (for within-district students only) is open January 3 –
31, 2017.
OPEN ENROLLMENT (OE): Open Enrollment window is open March 1 - April 1, 2017 for the coming
year.
High Priority & OE requests are placed on a four-tier waiting list (outlined below).
Requests that do not exceed desired grade level or school capacity will be approved. Requests that
exceed capacity may be approved through Within-District transfer process.
WITHIN-DISTRICT Transfers: Within-District transfer requests are accepted after May 1st. All new
Within-District requests are processed after registration day using one-for-one exchange guidelines.
Within-District transfer requests are placed on the waiting list daily (outlined below).
Within-District requests will be approved as space allows or one-for-one exchanges.
Special Notes:
Transfer forms are available at any school building, online (www.springfield.k12.or.us) or from the
Instruction Office at 525 Mill Street, Room 311. Transfer forms must be submitted to the Instruction
Office either by personal delivery, regular mail, email or fax.
Transfer requests are placed on waiting lists using a four-tier lottery: (1) Returning seniors are given top
priority. (2) Students who are requesting to return to their current school for the next year, (3) siblings of
a student that will be attending the requested school; will be given priority over (4) new applicants.
High Priority and Open Enrollment transfers, once approved, are valid until the student completes the
highest grade at that level or moves from the address the transfer was originally approved.
Within-District transfers, once approved, are valid for the remainder of the current school year only.
Parents must reapply to return the following year or if they move from the address of the approval.
Approval cannot be granted if desired capacity at the requested school or grade is reached.
Students must reapply when: (1) changing school levels (i.e., from elementary to mid school; or mid to
high school), (2) if they’ve moved from the address of the original transfer approval, or (3) if they have
been granted a transfer through within-district transfer (approved after May 1st) guidelines.
A student’s “resident” school is the attendance boundary where the student’s family lives. Daycare
providers or places of business are not considered the student’s residence. Students may not use a
business address, relative or friend’s address to gain access to a school. All families are required to
provide valid proof of address upon enrollment.
Ridgeview Elementary, Thurston Elementary and Thurston Middle School remain closed to transfers.
Requests for these schools will be placed on a waiting list.
Annual Notification Document Location
To the Student’s Parent(s):
In order to more efficiently serve parents and patrons, Springfield Public Schools website has been
updated to include information, in part, pertaining to annual parent/student notification such as Student
Responsibilities & Rights Handbook, A Note to Parents About Directory Rights, Parent Notice
Concerning Student Records, HIV/AIDS Curriculum Announcement, Teacher Qualifications, Parent
Review of Materials.
To review the above information, please access the website at www.springfield.k12.or.us
Parents and patrons may also contact the school office for printed copies of any of the above documents.
Estimado padre:
Más servir efficient emente padres y a patrocinadores, el Público de Springfield Educa sitio web ha sido
actualizado para incluir información, en parete, perteneciendo a notificaciones annuals de
padre/estudiante como Estudiante Responsabilidades y Guía, Nota de Padre Con respecto a Registros de
Estudiante, Plan de VIH/AYUDA Anunco, el Maestro Requisitos, y Revisión de Padre de Materials.
Para revisar la información anterior, por favor acceda al sitio web en www.springfield.k12.or.us
Los padres y los patrones también pueden ponerse en contacto con la oficina escolar para copias impresas
de cualquirera de los susodichos documentos.
Photo Update of our New School!
We are so excited as we watch the construction of our new school progressing! We look forward to
getting to move into it in 2017. We thought we would share some of photos of the progress!