School Newsletter - Marion County Public Schools

The Bulletin
The Rockin’ Bull News
Volume 1, Issue 3
Parents/Friends of HMS:
Please consider helping Howard’s MFL (Math Fantasy League). This is a friendly competition among our Intensive Math students (non-proficient) and their staff coaches.
The objectives of the league are to raise the scores of
our lowest quartile in math (our biggest weakness in the last
year’s school grading) and to help instill a love of learning in
our at risk students.
MFL needs help!!!! The students and staff have
bought into the league and now to continue their mission
(and help make it even better) they need you! They are asking for donations (everything helps) for the MFL. The easiest
way for you to make a difference for the students is through
the Find It Fund It grant program (established by the Public
Education
Foundation).
Just
go
to
http://
www.finditfunditflorida.com/marion/ and click on the Howard Middle MFL grant link. This will allow you to make a
financial contribution of any amount!
You can also consider supporting us by directly donating $% gift cards (McDonalds or little Caesars) to HMS.
Donations should be directed to League Commissioner
Hensel.
Thank you in advance for helping us promotes Howard pride and supports our students/staff/school!
VFW CONTEST WINNERS
Howard Middle School would like to congratulate the following
students for submitting an essay to the 2015 VFW essay competition. The following students that placed in the competition are
as follows:
8th Grade Winners:
First Place-Gillian Bednar
Second Place- Ligna Patitdar
Third Place- Priscilla Garcia
6th Grade Winners:
First Place: Katie Knight
Second Place: Laurel Greenwalt
Third Place: Connor Priess
A total of seven students were there for the competition, and we
are very proud of all who participated and represented Howard in
the VFW Essay Competition.
Homework
By River Thompson
Homework is something as students, we all know and
dread. The solution to the problem is unknown, though many
students find the solution lies within simply not doing it. This
"solution" is very ineffective in resourcefulness, for it lowers your
grade if you do not do the assigned work at all. A zero will be
entered in your grades and because homework is typically 10-20
percent of your grade, students assume, "Oh, It's nothing. I can
bring my grade up afterwards." However, after a couple of zeroes
in the homework category, your grade can drop quite a bit. If that
occurs, it will not be as simple to bring back up and not only does
not completing your homework drop your grades in the homework category, it can lead to more.
Homework is review to help students remember and get
better at what they're learning. If you never do your homework
and/or do not study your work, than you may do poorly on some
classwork or even tests. This all results in low grades, which is
something you definitely do not want. As a responsible student,
take in these key points and begin or continue to do homework
because, it's the smarter and more effective way to keep up your
grades and learn.
HENSEL’S HEADLINES
Parents:
Now that the first semester report
cards have been printed, I encourage
you to review your child’s progress
with him/her. If you see a decline or
have any concerns, please contact
your student’s teacher(s). You may
even want to set up a conference via
our guidance department– 671-7229.
Sincerely,
Robert A. Hensel
Principal, HMS
MCPS Controlled Open Enrollment
(COE)
The number of seats available of Controlled Open
Enrollment (COE) varies according to the percentage of a
school’s enrollment as it was recorded on the Day 80 member
count relative to a school’s total capacity. (brick and mortar,
plus portable seats.)
If the school is not listed below, it means that their
percentage of enrollment exceeds 90% of their school’s total
capacity (brick and mortar, plus portable seats.) and that the
school will not accept transfers in based upon controlled open
enrollment.In the event that a school receives more COE requests for placement than it has seats available, a random selection process will be used to determine which requests will be
approved and which will be denied.
Magnet schools and Magnet programs will proceed
according to their deadlines and the protocols already in place.
Elementary Schools open to Controlled Open Enrollment in
2015-2016:
Anthony, Belleview, Belleview-Santos, East Marion, Eighth
Street, Emerald Shores, Evergreen, Fort McCoy, Harbour
View, Legacy, Maplewood, Marion Oaks, Reddick-Collier,
Sparr, Stanton-Weirsdale, Sunrise and Ward-Highlands
Middle Schools open to Controlled Open Enrollment in
2015-2016:
Belleview, Dunnellon, Fort King, Horizon Academy, Howard
and North Marion
High Schools open to Controlled Open Enrollment in 20152016
Dunnellon, Forest, Lake Weir, North Marion and Vanguard
New Ukulele Club!
The ukulele club is for people who like and want to learn how
to play the ukulele. The club will meet in Mr. Bondank’s
room every Tuesday after school. The first meeting was held
on January 27th. For more information, contact Mr. Bondank!
6th Grade Disney Field Trip
Math Tutoring
In the morning between 8:15 and 9:10, Ms. Bucha
hosts math tutoring in her classroom. All are welcome but students many only come if math help is needed, as this is for tutoring only. At 9:10, students may go to the library or band, but
otherwise must stay in her classroom. There may be some days
she may not be available to host tutoring, and you can locate the
list of dates that tutoring will not happen either on her door or
on her website. Please do not just drop the student off in the
morning, for if all passes are taken for the day, the student may
not stay at school, unless they are enrolled in extended day.
Youth Achievers
Youth Achievers is held in Coach Snellings classroom in the mornings. Youth Achievers is a program at
school that allows children to come in the morning and receive help with homework, studying, and other school things.
If you get to school around 8:15, go to Youth Achievers because it makes learning fun.
Extra Information
Begins- 8:15, Ends- 9:15
Extra schoolwork practice
Location: The gym, in Coach Snelling's classroom
The 6th Grade Field Trip to the Magic Kingdom
on April 23rd is full! There is a wait list, in the event that a
student drops off the trip, but there is no guarantee that the
waitlisted students will be able to attend. To secure a
place on the waitlist, students should bring their payment
to Ms. Rosky in Building 16, room 6. Waitlisted students
who have paid but do not attend will receive a full refund.
Filed Trip Guidelines
Please be aware that in order to attend the
grade level field trips to Disney World (6th Grade),
Busch Gardens (7th Grade) and Universal Studios
(8th Grade), students MUST have received no referrals that have resulted in either OSS or five (5) cumulative days of ISS. Students must also have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 to attend.
Please be
aware that students may be removed from the trip if
these standards are not met, and that the student
may or may not receive a refund, depending on when
they may be removed.
! SCHOOL ACCOUNTABILITY REPORTS
NOW AVAILABLE
YEARBOOKS ON SALE!
Yearbooks are $35
MARION COUNTY – Looking for data and information on your child’s school? Maybe you are moving to
Parent Hours: Mondays before 9:00am.
Please check in the front office.
Student Hours: Monday, Wednesday & Friday
From 9:15-9:30, Bldg. 16, room 6
Marion County and want to know the “best” school for your
child.
There is plenty of information available in the
SPAR, or School Public Accountability Report, required every year by federal and state laws. These documents must
If you are interested in Yearbook Advertising
There are still spaces available!
be made available for public inspection, and SPARs for the
last school year are now complete and ready for review.
Yearbook Ads, both business and personal
Must be turned in by February 27, 2015
SPAR reports cover every public school in Marion
County, including charter and alternative schools. These
reports contain additional information about Adequate Yearly
Please email Ms. Rosky for information
[email protected]
Progress (AYP) as required by federal “No Child Left Behind” (NCLB) legislation.
The SPAR report points out progress on state, national, and local indicators from the 2013-2014 school year
Connect2Compete
including October membership; kindergarten readiness; federal and five-year graduation rates; high school dropout rate;
FCAT results for reading, math, and science; End–of-Course
(EOC) assessments for biology and algebra; English Language Learner (ELLs) scores; teachers and staff; highlyqualified teachers; and school grades. Annual Measurable
Objectives information explaining what schools must do to
High-speed Internet service is no longer a luxury
good. It has become an essential tool for succeeding in
school. Teachers are increasingly incorporating digital tools
in the classroom to enhance learning, assigning online
homework,
and
using
email
to
communicate
with
parents and post grades online.
meet targets in reading and math for all students is also in-
If you have a child receiving free school meals and
cluded. Additional detailed information on Florida’s annual
have not had Cox Internet service for 90 days, you may be
reporting is available at http://schoolgrades.fldoe.org.
eligible for low-cost, high-speed Internet service for $9.95 a
SPARs can be viewed in each school’s front office,
the Grants and Federal Programs Office of Marion County
Public Schools (306 NW 7th Ave., Ocala), and at the district’s
Public Relations Office (420-A SE Alvarez Ave., Ocala). Documents are also available online at
http://doeweb-prd.doe.state.fl.us/eds/nclbspar/year1314/
main1314.cfm.
month!
Visit www.connect2compete.org/cox or call toll
free 1-855-222-3252 for more information.
The above information has been posted to the
homepage of our website for your students,
parents, and you to reference. http://
www.marion.k12.fl.us/schools/hms/index.cfm
Advanced Drama Performance
The advanced drama students will be having their first student night on Thursday (1/29). The plays being performed are written, directed, and performed by
HMS students. Admission is free for everyone. The show begins at 6 PM in the
café, and the students would love for you to attend.