1. education
2. school

Hawk Talk
Holmes Middle School 719-328-3800  www.d11.org/holmes March/April 2015
Dear Holmes Community,
As always, the first semester seems to disappear. Now we find ourselves beginning
2015. Overall the first semester and the end of 2014 was an overwhelming success
for our community, which is only possible with the ongoing involvement and support
of our parents. Because of this, I must extend a sincere thank you to each of you.
Many of you may be well aware that Holmes MS is the recipient of a substantial grant
targeted for innovation in education. This initiative is referred to as Next Generation
Learning and realizes the fact that multitudes of students are not fully engaged in
their education and are not reaching their fullest potential. For the past 8 months, a
team of staff members have been engaged in significant learning and planning that
will advance the educational experience for all students at Holmes MS. A sixteen
page design plan document is posted on the Holmes website and contains many of
the details of our Next Generation Learning Plan, as well as our newly revised
Mission and Vision statements. The formal implementation of this plan begins Fall
2015, yet many aspects will be encountered by students and staff during second
semester this school year.
In general, our efforts will be with the intentional purpose to engage students as
individuals more effectively, measure their learning more meaningfully, and promote
them through their education more fairly. By carefully changing how we schedule our
human resources and time, we are evolving into a more flexible and adaptive
environment that will better allow students to personalize their learning experience in
a tech-enabled environment. By doing this, we hope to reignite the passion for
learning in all students.
Please be on the lookout for upcoming information as we will be holding a Parent
Forum in February (exact date yet to be determined) to share more of the details of
our Next Generation Learning Initiative and provide the opportunity for community
questions and feedback.
It is an exciting time at Holmes Middle School, and this semester will fly by as well.
Because the end of the school year will arrive quickly, if you ever have questions or
concerns, please do not hesitate to make contact with your student’s teachers, a
counselor or administrator. We are here to help you.
Sincerely,
Rob Utter
Principal
Main Office
Attendance
Voice Mail
FAX
328-3800
328-3813
328-3899
448-0358
Counseling
Media Center
Boys Gym
Girls Gym
328-3812
328-3823
328-3825
328-3840
SCHOOL AND OFFICE HOURS
SCHOOL ATTENDANCE
Main Office: 8:00 am— 4:30 pm
The principal, assistant principals and
registrar will be available during these hours.
Teaching staff: 8:30 am—4:00 pm.
Call 328-3800 to make arrangements for
meeting your student’s team of teachers
during their scheduled planning time
(below), or before or after school hours.
Parents, please remember to call the
attendance line to excuse your student when
he/she will be absent from school. The 24 hr.
attendance phone number is 328-3813. If you
leave a message state your student’s name,
grade and reason for absence along with your
name and a phone number where you can be
reached.
STAFF CONFERENCE/PLANNING TIMES
PARENT & VISITOR INFORMATION
Teachers are available for conferences during
the following planning times:
SIXTH GRADE: 10:45—12:20pm
Castle Peak: Jo Wilson, Laura Gaeta
Mt. Lincoln: Kelly Gross, Rachel Schisler
Maroon Bells: Christina Rochelle, Rob Dolce
Sunshine Peak: Melissa Gilbert, Kylene Riggen
SEVENTH GRADE: 9:50—10:35 & 2:00—2:45pm
Challenger Peak: Mary Brennan, Karla Chappel
Laura Gregory, Stephanie Marsh
Mt. Bierstadt: Kristin Abernethy, Brenda Yohn,
Gordon Kaufman, Stephanie Aaron
EIGHTH GRADE: 8:45—9:35 & 3:00—3:45pm
Mt. Oxford: Olivia Coszalter, Steve Tucker
Grays Peak: Lori Waddle, Mike Wilshusen
Pikes Peak: Kathleen Lynch, Kelly Hodge,
Jackie Swank, Marty Wolf
EXPLORATORIES: 1:10—1:55pm
PE: Leslie Barthlow; Andy Wojtalewicz
Industrial Technology: Greg Bohn
Technology: Mike Kreidel
Family & Consumer Sciences: Kelly Gauck
Art: Jennifer Petersen; Band: Jeremiah Fowler
Orchestra: Rob Rodine; Choir: Amber Niskern
Math/Literacy Tutor: Lance May;
Spanish: Katy Odens
For a complete staff list, visit the Holmes website.
School doors have been equipped with a
locking system. To access the main building,
press the button to the right of the main
doors and wait for a click to open the door.
Because of safety issues, we request that all
visitors check in at the main office and be
issued a visitors badge, before going
anywhere in the building, including having
lunch with your student, or visiting the social
worker or counselors. This lets security,
administration and staff know that you have
checked in at the main office.
Mission & Vision of Holmes Middle School
The vision of the Holmes Middle School community
is to foster a positive environment
of responsible learners.
The mission of Holmes Middle School is
to provide opportunities for students.
To obtain a quality education and
develop a commitment to learning;
to increase skills for academic, fine and
practical arts, technological and social success;
and to gain an understanding of their
potentially positive role in society .
ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS’ ADVISORY
Ms. Margo Herbert – 6th Grade Mt. Lincoln, Sunshine Peak, all 7th Grade Cores
Mr. Yann Ulrich – 6th Grade Castle Peak, Maroon Bells, all 8h Grade Cores
Student Supervision
The hours of student supervision are 8:00AM-4:00PM. This is a liability issue concerning the safety and welfare of
Holmes’ students and community. All students who enter the building prior to the cafeteria opening at 8:00AM, and
those who remain on school grounds after 4:00PM, should make arrangements to be with an adult in a supervised
setting. Students entering the main building at 8:00AM to work with teachers or in the library, or participate in clubs or
activities, are required to sign in at the front office. If your student occasionally needs to be on school grounds outside
of these times, please have them wait in the main courtyard or in front of the school. We appreciate your assistance in
helping to keep our students safe and under adult supervision.
Warm Weather
As the spring season quickly approaches, please review the Dress Code policy on pg. 10 of the Student Handbook.
Student dress code supports our goal of maintaining a positive learning environment, free from distractions. We
appreciate your help in monitoring your student’s dress to ensure that it falls within the guidelines of the dress code.
Short shorts, short skirts worn without leggings underneath, sagging pants, low cut shirts, and torn jeans are the
majority of offenses. Please help your student to choose wisely to avoid consequences for defiance of school policy.
When in doubt, ask an adult!
8th Grade End-of-the-Year Celebrations Coming Soon……
Wow-our 8th graders have grown! Parents, it’s that time of year when we need to step back and recognize that our 8th
graders’ middle school journey is winding down. In just a few short months, your son or daughter will be leaving the
Hawk community to begin a new and exciting stage in life as high school students as the class of 2019! This is a
significant step that deserves recognition and celebration. We are so proud of the accomplishments of this year’s 8th
graders and look forward to celebrating further achievements as we enter 4th Quarter.
All 8th graders will be receiving letters to be signed by parents explaining the many end-of-year celebrations we have
planned for them in May. Mark your calendars for May 15th, May 22st, and May 27 th. Those students meeting
behavioral and academic expectations outlined during classroom visitations and parent information letters will be invited
to attend the Excellence Picnic, Elitch Gardens Field Trip, 8th Grade Breakfast, and 8th Grade Celebration Ceremony.
Please review the outlined behavior and academic requirements in the parent information letter sent home with
students. We ask for parental support in meeting permission slip and fee turn-in dates and continued student
encouragement so that our 8th graders finish their middle school experience strong and in a positive manner. Our goal
is that all 8th graders meet our SOARing expectations so that no one misses out on the many opportunities we have for
this class to mix and mingle with their middle school peers before leaving us for high school.
SAVE THE DATE
8TH GRADE CELEBRATION CEREMONY
May 27th 6:00 p.m.
Coronado Gymnasium
8 am—4:30 pm
Mrs. Lori Kadzikowski
6th Grade Mt. Lincoln/Sunshine Peak
All 7th Grade Cores
Mrs. Sandi Watkins
6th Grade Maroon Bells/Castle Peak
All 8th Grade Cores
Coun
seling
C
328-3 orner
812
Student Registration for the 2015—2016 School Year
If your student has not returned their registration forms for next year, please do so as soon as possible.
Information about “Pre-Advanced Placement” (Pre AP) classes
6th and 7th grade teachers have submitted recommendations for Pre Advanced Placement (Pre AP) classes for the 2015 - 2016
school year. In addition, the counselors contacted 5th grade teachers and secured recommendations for our incoming 6th
graders. These letters will be mailed no later then the week of June 1st..
Any questions regarding the placement of your child should be directed to his/her teacher.
Criteria of Pre AP:
· Student performance (characteristics of AP students)
· Teacher recommendation
· Parent request
· Test scores (MAPS and CSAP) - highly proficient
Below is a list of characteristics that profile a student in the Pre-AP Program:
· Critical and independent thinking skills
· Willingness to work hard
· Self-motivated
· Ability to adapt to varied settings
· Organization skills
· Persistent in pursuing goals
· Capable of handling assignments involving an exceptional degree of creativity
If you think your child should have received a letter and did not, please contact the Counseling Center at 328-3812.
WEB News: Where Everyone Belongs
WEB is a program that welcomes the sixth grade class on the first day of school as well as continues to support them throughout
their first year of middle school.
We will be handing out WEB applications to 7th grade students, identified as people on campus who are a positive role model,
responsible, possesses leadership qualities, kind and most importantly, a desire to give back to their community. If you think your
child displays these characteristics you may nominate your own child.
Being a WEB Leader is an important responsibility. In order to build the most effective program possible, we have a series of
mandatory trainings that your child must attend. If your child is nominated, please help us build a strong program, as well as
develop good leaders by supporting our efforts to have on-time attendance at the required functions.
Request for teams or cores sent directly to [email protected],
Please send copy to Lori.Kadzikowski@ d11.org.
Counselor’s Corner
Mrs. Kadzikowski and Mrs. Watkins
8th Grade
The counselors from Coronado and Palmer visited our 8th graders in January.
They distributed and collected registration materials and course descriptions.
If your student has not registered, or if you have changes, please call
Coronado Counseling at 328-3609 and Palmer Counseling at 328-5007.
Please be aware that completing the registration materials will not insure your
child will attend the high school of their choice, if it is not your home school. If
you want to attend a high school that is outside your boundary, a Choice Open
Enrollment Form, must be submitted to the high school and approved. Please
see Mrs. Fleecs in the main office for the necessary document.
6th and 7th Grade
Current 6th and 7th graders began registering for classes the week of Feb
16th. We distributed registration materials through Social Studies classes and
then students had the opportunity to register “online”. If you have questions
call Holmes counseling @ 328-3812.
5th Grade
Counselors visited some of our feeder elementary schools with registration
packets the last two weeks of February. Fifth grade registration forms should
be brought to Holmes Middle School at 2455 Mesa Road as soon as possible.
Please be aware that completing the registration materials will not insure your
child will attend the school of their choice, if it is not your home school. If you
are wanting to attend a middle school that is outside your boundary, a Choice
Open Enrollment form, must be submitted to the middle school and approved.
PE News
In January the PE department was excited to welcome a new group of students for eighteen
weeks of physical education. Students have received PE lockers and have completed their
fitness testing which included the flexibility test, push-up test, sit-up test, standing long jump
test, and the pacer test. With hard work and goal setting we hope to see improvement in their
fitness and in their test scores when we retest in the spring.
PE classes have been participating in basketball and volleyball units and we look forward to an
exciting floor hockey and pillow polo unit in the coming week. Students have also been making
excellent fitness gains in the fitness room while using the cardiovascular machines, dumbbells,
and resistance bands. The hard work, cooperation, and teamwork has been exciting to see and
be a part of. In addition to the performance activities, all eighth grade students have been
creating individual fitness programs. The fitness program entails their choice of any team sport
or individual sport, goal setting, implementation of fitness elements, and creating a six week
program.
As winter exits and spring takes over, we look forward to heading outside for some exciting
fourth quarter activities. Some of activities will include Flag Football, Lacrosse, Softball,
Ultimate Frisbee, Soccer, Team Handball, and Archery.
The PE Department would also like to celebrate the following students for being the PE Hawk
of the Week. This award is given each week to a student who displays leadership, hard work,
cooperation, and respect. Great Job…
6th grade: Giles Lewis, Jordan Hallock, Nicholas Hernandez, Brycen Hurt, Maycie Rogers, and
Gabrielle Gray.
7th Grade: Angel Romero, Kate Griffin, Maddie Leahy, Zoe Gross, Leo Zook.
8th grade: Alekandra Olesiak
Sports schedules will be located on the STUDENT tab at www.d11.org/holmes
SAC COMMITTEE
The final SAC (School Accountability Committee) meetings of the year will be
April 6 and May 11. We meet at 4:15 p.m. in the Media Center. Please join us!
You are invited to share your questions, concerns, and comments -- or just
come to listen and learn about the latest developments at Holmes. For more
information, contact Leah Landolfi at 328-9547.
NJHS NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
It’s THAT time of Year
Candidate information forms will be mailed to eligible 6th and 7th graders during the week of
March 16th from the Holmes Middle School Chapter of the National Junior Honor Society. In order to
receive this form a student must meet the following criteria: in full-time attendance for at least two
quarters, a cumulative GPA for the year of 3.5 (on a A=4.0 scale) and citizenship grades of only 4’s and
5’s.
Holmes NJHS is NOT just a scholarship based organization. Service and leadership are at our
core. A candidate information form is only the first step and is NOT a guarantee of acceptance. Membership in NJHS at Holmes has high standards and we ask that students and parents consider the cost
of time and commitment to the chapter before making the decision to complete and turn in the form.
The selection process and membership requirements are spelled out in the bylaws of the chapter
which are available on the Holmes NJHS website which can be accessed from the Holmes Middle
School website.
If you believe that your student met the initial criteria mentioned in the first paragraph and they
did NOT receive a candidate information form, please contact one of the co-advisers:
Mrs. Kristin Abernethy, 328-3872, [email protected] or Julie Lindeman, 328-3817,
[email protected] For those selected to become members, they must attend the Induction
Ceremony, which is April 29, 2015. All currently active members are also expected to attend.
Additional News.
We are wrapping up our Intergenerational Project with Colorado Springs Care Center. After four
weeks of interviews, biographies are nearly complete and will be presented on February 28 th. The
school service committee is wrapping up a project to name our school halls with character traits
and special tributes and create hall signs to be placed in strategic locations.
Homework help ended on February 25th.
Come out and join us for a night of old familiar tunes, and a few new ones, as
we present the 6th, 7th, and 8th grade Choir Concert on Thursday, March
12th! Students warm-up at 6:00 PM in the orchestra / choir room, and the
performance begins at 6:30 PM. Admission is free, so bring the whole
family!"
Enthusiastically,
Amber Niskern
Choir Director
What’s Happening in FACS?
Winter 2015
The sixth grade classes are busy learning to operate a sewing machine and soon will be making their pillows. They are thrilled to learn such a fun life skill. The class has learned the basic nutrients and foods from
each of the food groups. Learning the basics of cooking which includes: kitchen safety, tools, correct techniques of measuring and following simple recipes has been a fun challenge. They enjoyed the many hand-on
activities and the foundations of being a wise consumer. As the sewing unit concludes, the class will experience
an
additional lab focusing on protein.
The seventh graders just took a trip to the fabric store to learn facts about many fibers and types of fabrics
used in today’s garments. The classes recently concluded a child care unit and learned many new facts about
infants, toddlers and pre-school aged children. They discovered the four areas of development and the
importance of safety and play. The students were engaged in a variety of activities to become a more competent and positive child care provided whether it be as a sibling, aunt, uncle or babysitter. As the class concludes
the sewing unit, they will begin their nutrition & wellness unit. It was filled with six different food labs: fruit
smoothies, buttermilk pancakes, no-bake cocoa cookies, simple cakes, beef & vegetable stew and a theme
meal! They will learn about meal management and create their own special event invitation.
The eighth grade recently completed their interpersonal relationship unit. The teen topic presentations were
very informative and empowering. The students created a personal resume, and learned ways to improve
communication, dealing with conflict and the decision-making process. As the clothing & textile unit begins, they
will learn about laundry care, ironing, and sewing on a button. Each will make a pair of pants. Each will research
a fiber and begin to realize that being a good consumer also means how to purchase ready-made garments.
The last quarter will focus on the nutrition & wellness unit. The food labs will consist of fruit smoothies, Belgian
waffles, soft breadsticks, cinnamon rolls, beef & vegetables stew and international cooking. The international
cooking will offer over 12 different dishes to sample along with a presentation about each country. There is a
wide range of food exploration covered in eighth grade.
I want to personally thank all the families that donated gift cards or food items for our many labs. There is still
time to help out with donations. The students always have great experiences and without supportive parents &
grandparents, I couldn’t provide the challenging food labs.
Sincerely, Mrs. Gauck
Holmes FCCLA CHAPTER – Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America - a leadership organization
affiliated with Family & Consumer Science
Our chapter has done remarkable activities this year. In September we provided a delicious meal for the staff
to support NO KID HUNGRY. The donations help provide meals for children. In December we delivered 10 tie
fleece blankets to the Children’s Cancer Center. February was the month of giving and the chapter sponsored a
Share the Love food drive and collected over 225 pounds of food for our local families in need.
FCCLA promotes personal growth and leadership development through Family and Consumer Science.
Focusing on the multiple roles of the family member, wage earner and community leader, members develop
skills for life through character development, creative and critical thinking; interpersonal communications,
practical knowledge and career preparation.
Kelly Gauck, Family & Consumer Science Instructor, is the advisor for the Holmes Middle School Chapter.
The chapter has 40 affiliated members, all who are affiliated with the state and national organization of FCCLA.
District competition took place February 20 in Colorado Springs. Several students competed and are looking
forward to the State FCCLA Conference in Denver in April. There, they will compete in STAR (Students Taking
Action for Recognition) events.
GIRLS GOLF- HOLMES: PARENT/GOLFER MEETING WILL BE IN ROOM 32 AT 3:50PM ON
MONDAY, MARCH 16. GIRLS NEED TO HAVE PHYSICALS COMPLETE BY APRIL 1-FIRST DAY
OF TRYOUTS. EIGHT GIRLS THAT HAVE SOME EXPERIENCE WILL QUALIFY TO MAKE THE
TEAM. *IF YOUR DAUGHTER HAS NOT PLAYED BEFORE-PLEASE CONTACT COACH HODGE
FOR INSTRUCTION IDEAS. AFTER TRYOUTS, GIRLS WILL PAY THEIR FEES TO THE FRONT
OFFICE AND ORDER SHIRTS AS NEEDED. PLEASE CONTACT KELLY HODGE WITH QUESTIONS AT [email protected].
Thanks Kelly
Kelly Kleckner Hodge
LA Chair
Holmes Middle School
719-328-3866
Coronado Girls Golf Head Coach
Boys and Girls Golf Coach Holmes Middle School
LPGA Teaching Professional
719-761-8018
Yearbooks - $35
Years from now, when you are out on your own, you may
want to look back on your Holmes Middle School years.
What did my classmates look like? What teachers did I
have? Who was on my track team? You probably won’t be
able to answer those questions if you didn’t buy a yearbook.
For only $35, you can purchase your 2014 - 2015 Holmes
Middle School yearbook . Go to Holmes Website to place
your order. d11.org/Holmes
Yearbooks will be distributed on the last day of school.
Volleyball
Information
Team selection:
Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday
March 9-11
ALL STUDENTS
6th Grade ~ 4:00PM – 5:00PM
7th Grade ~ 5:00PM – 6:00PM
8th Grade ~ 6:00PM – 7:00PM
Thursday & Friday
March 12 & 13
INVITED STUDENTS
A Squad ~ 4:00PM – 5:30PM
B Squad ~ 5:30PM – 7:00PM
Requirements: (by March 6th)
Yellow Physical Card with signatures
Blue Emergency Card
Pink colored Registration Form
No F’s on your 3rd quarter report card
**Only students meeting these requirements can try-out for A & B squad teams
Payment (due after team selection March 20th)
$50.00 Full Payment
$33.00 Reduced Lunch
$17.00 Free Lunch
**Max family $200 (football and golf excluded), third sport ½ price.
*Payable to Holmes Middle School
All students have the opportunity to play volleyball at Holmes. The 14 most skilled 6 th, 7th & 8th
grade students will play on the A Squad. After the A Squad is formed, the next 14 most skilled 6 th &
7th grade students will play on the B squad. All other students will play on a Holmes club team. Club
players will receive their schedules by March 20th.
BOYS’ TRACK INFORMATION
Boys' track is just around the corner! The first day of track is Monday, March 9. Track is
a "no-cut" sport in the district. To remain eligible, boys (1) must maintain passing grades
throughout the season and (2) not have school related problems that jeopardize participation. To participate on the first day of practice athletes will need to have their yellow sports
physical form and blue emergency card turned into the main office at Holmes. Any sport
fees need to be paid by 3/19/15. ($50 full fee, $33 reduced lunch fee, $17 free lunch fee)
The brief pre-season meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, March 4, at 5:30 p.m., in the
cafeteria. This is an important meeting, especially for parents of boys who are planning to
participate for the first time. The focus will be on the school's track philosophy, expectations, school rules, practice times, clothing requirements, safety issues, participation fee,
and other important areas.
Parents with questions are encouraged to call/e-mail either Coach Gross (328-3887;
[email protected]) or Coach Kaufman (328-3875; [email protected].).
Boys, get ready! Let the quest begin on March 9!!!
INTERESTED GIRL TRACK ATHLETES:
Any girls interested in running some spring track meets and the invite to COUGAR
CLASSIC on April 24th to run the 1200 meter run, contact [email protected]
I'm trying to get track meets for the girls - please mention to contact me if
interested: [email protected] - as well as the invite to COUGAR CLASSIC on
April 24 for 1 event the 1200 meter run.
Thanks
Jim BRINKMAN
CROSSED PATHS SURVEYING
1-719-661-2349
[email protected]
From The School Social Worker: Turning Your Words to Gold
Do you find yourself repeating your instructions to your student FREQUENTLY? “Take
out the trash.” “Didn’t I tell you to take out the trash?” “How many times do I have to tell you to
TAKE OUT THE TRASH!!!!”?” Sound familiar at all? Is your student adept at selective
listening? Perhaps your issue is getting homework done, or cleaning their room, or emptying
the dishwasher, or just being spoken to in a respectful tone minus the attitude.
Much of our frustration as parents (in this arena) comes because we are telling our child
what to do when in reality we can’t make them do it. They are now young adolescents and have
entered that stage of development where they are no longer interested in pleasing us or making
us happy. In fact, it often feels the opposite.
To turn your words “into gold” stop telling your child what to do (which you can’t control)
and instead tell them what YOU will do (which you can control). “Feel free to come to dinner
when the trash has been taken to the curb” or “I will serve you dinner as soon as the trash is taken to the curb.” “I am happy to take you to your friend’s house when you have finished your
homework.” “Electronics are on after homework is finished.” (If your child has electronics in
their bedroom, then that would NOT be the place for them to work on homework!) “I take kids to
the mall when I feel treated with respect and the chores are done.” “I will talk with you when
your voice is calm like mine.” (Make sure your voice IS calm!) “I will drive you places when I feel
treated with respect.”
If you will use enforceable statements AND repeat them (rather than explain or lecture)
AND make sure you will consistently follow through, you will see your children make adjustments. You must deliver these statements calmly, quietly and in a matter-of-fact manner, not
breaking a sweat or raising your voice. State them, walk away and wait to see if they do their
part.
For more information, you can visit www.loveandlogic.com or attend a Becoming a Love
and Logic Parent Training when it is offered. Feel free to give me a call for suggestions. Julie
Lindeman, LCSW, School Social Worker, 328-3817, [email protected].
NOTICE: The Adoption support group mentioned in the last newsletter will not be held due to
lack of interest.