HMS Principal Update
May 17th, 2023
Hello HMS Families,
I hope you had an excellent week. We are wrapping up MCAS next week and that helps it to feel like the year itself is at a close. We have several fun events planned for our students in the upcoming weeks. If you would like to participate in any of these events as a volunteer, simply sign up below.
Respectfully,
Kyle Grady
- Volunteer Opportunities:
May 19th HMS Art Show 8-11:30 am. Click HERE to volunteer
May 24th No Place For Hate Planning event. Noon-2:15 pm Click HERE to volunteer
June 20th HMS Field Day. 8am-2:15pm Click HERE to volunteer
- MCAS Testing Dates
8th Grade: STE: May 23rd & 24th.
- Year End Events:
- 8th Grade Red Sox Trip: May 31st, 4-10pm.
- Great East Music Festival: June 2nd
- Washington DC Trip: June 5-8th
- HMS Spring Concert: June 13th, 7-9pm
- 8th Grade Promotional Ceremony: June 16th 4-5:30pm (Rain Date: June 15th 4-5:30pm)
- 8th Grade Dance: June 16th 7-9pm
- Field Day: June 20th
- HMS Talent Show: TBD (Potentially June 20th or 21st)
- Last Day of School: 1/2 Day, June 22nd
- PTO Thank you!
It's been a very successful Teacher/Staff Appreciation week! We started the week with a breakfast buffet on Monday thanks to generous donations from Bagels Plus in Acton, Panera in Hudson and Shaws in Stow. We gave gift cards to the teachers on Tuesday and then on Wednesday thanks to all of you, we put out a very impressive snack spread with everything from ice tea and seltzer to Hostess cupcakes, trail mix, and all varieties of chips. It took almost no time at all for the sign up to fill up - so thank you again for your help! Today thanks to Dunkin in Maynard and Mug n' Muffin in Stow, we had an abundance of donuts, eclairs, muffins, and coffee rolls and beautiful hand painted cookies made by Su Cook along with assorted teas and cocoa and other baked goods. And then tomorrow, we'll end the week with a pizza party - thanks to Stow House of Pizza for their donation. No adult at Hale Middle School is going home hungry this week and we've already received some wonderful thank yous from our teachers.
Thank you again to all who contributed and participated!Ilana
- Behavioral Health Help Line
The Department of Mental Health has launched a new Behavioral Health Help Line that people can call or text at 833-773-2445. It is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week in more than 200 languages. The help line can help individuals and families navigate the behavioral health system and access treatment, including mobile crisis services. District and school leaders are asked to please share this resource with staff, families, and students, where helpful. For more information, please see the FAQ. Anyone with questions or concerns about the help line can email the help line director at Mio.Tamanaha@mass.gov.
- Nursing Update
Medication Order/Care Plan Renewals: Students taking daily medication and those who have a medical condition requiring a care plan will be receiving a medication form and/or care plan in the mail for the next school year. All medications to be administered at school (with the exception of over-the-counter Tylenol, ibuprofen, Benadryl or Tums) require a renewal of orders annually. These forms require a physician’s signature as well as parental permission. Students should NOT carry medication to school, with the exception of epipens and inhalers. All medications taken at school need to be administered through the Health Office.
Medication Pickup: All student medications must be picked up by a parent by the last day of school – June 22. Students may stop in to pick up inhalers and/or epipens before they leave school on the last day. Any medication left in the Health Office will be destroyed.
ATTENTION PARENTS OF CURRENT 6TH GRADERS: Physical and Immunizations: Please forward all updated physicals to the Health Office at Hale Middle School prior to the start of the 2023-2024 school year. Students entering Seventh grade will need to have an updated physical and state mandated immunizations before the start of school. If these documents are not on file, it may result in your child being excluded from attending school. If you have any questions regarding this request, please contact the health office before the end of the school year.
Water Bottles: Please remember to send your student with a water bottle during the warm weather for outdoor activities.
Mosquito and Tick-Borne Illnesses: Please remember that it is mosquito/tick season and these insects can carry many illnesses that can be both acute and chronic. Consider the use of insect repellents when your children are playing outdoors to protect them from these uncomfortable and potentially illness-producing bites. Check with a pharmacist or your pediatrician for suggestions on repellents that are safest for use in children.
- Community Fliers