Welcome to 6 th Grade Secrets to Success

1. Welcome to 6th Grade Secrets to Success

2. Welcome! We are so excited about the new school year! We are sure that the transition to the middle school has left you with many questions. Tonight, we will provide you with some general information about our team and middle school in general.

3. Summer Reading • The students should be reading 2 different books this summer—one for reading class and one for social studies class. • Reading Class: • QB1 by Mike Lupica • Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli • Found by Margaret Peterson Haddix • Social Studies: • Countdown by Deborah Wiles • The Watson’s Go to Birmingham by Christopher Paul Curtis • When finished reading the book for reading class (QB1, Found, or Stargirl), the students can take an online test. For instructions on how to take the test, please visit Mrs. Brown’s website by going the HTMS website, clicking on school staff, and then clicking on Mrs. Brown’s name. The instructions are listed under the class notes and handouts section.

4. Technology • We DO allow technology in our school. We believe technology can be a great asset to learning. However, there are a few stipulations…. • Students can only use technology for school purposes (research, dictionary app, educational websites) when their teachers tells them it’s ok. • They are not allowed to text anyone, use social media, etc. If they are caught using their technology inappropriately or at a time when it’s not supposed to be in use, it will be taken up, given to Mr. Posey, and he/she will receive 2 days of detention. **Please know that your child does NOT have to have technology in order to do school work. We do provide other ways to do the work. 

5. Tardy? • If a student is tardy more than 3 times in 1 month, it is considered a class I offense. • Students will be assigned after school detention. • Students are tardy if they are not in their classroom by 7:55 each morning or if they are late to individual classes during the school day. (Students have 4 minutes to change classes.) • Please note that we do EASE the students into this especially with the rotating schedule HTMS follows. 

6. HTMS 6th Grade Bell Schedule

7. HTMS Clubs • Each nine weeks the students get the opportunity to choose a club they’d like to be a part of. Clubs take place on Wednesday and Friday during the “HT” part of the schedule. On Tuesday and Thursday, HT time is used for homeroom where we discuss any events taking place, spend time reading and/or doing homework, etc. • Clubs are a wide variety of topics from peace and quiet to intermural sports and even animal rescue club. Students usually have 10-15 clubs to choose from. • Each nine weeks, students will be given the opportunity to take a survey to give their top 5 choices. Students will then be assigned one of those choices based on amount of space available in each club.

8. Discipline Procedures “To whom much is given, much is expected.” • As sixth graders, students are afforded new privileges that were not present in elementary school. In order to help the students successfully adjust to middle school, we have established a system of freedom within limits. In the event that these privileges are abused, they will be removed until behavior has improved. If a student chooses to misbehave, he/she has chosen to accept the following consequences: • First offense: Warning • Second offense: Sign discipline book • Third offense: Contact parent • Fourth offense: Office referral • *Major offenses (Class II or III) will be referred directly to the office. • A record of student behavior will be kept by each teacher and start over at the end of each nine weeks period. In the event that these procedures are ineffective for any student, alternative consequences will be at the discretion of the teacher, the administrators, and/or the students’ parents.

9. Dress Code • At HTMS we do enforce dress code in order to protect our students from distraction. Dress code is enforced every day including field trips and spring fling. • Shorts and skirts can be no more than 4 inches above the knee. • Shirt straps need to be 3 finger lengths, and no racer back shirts are allowed. • Please assist us with this as we work to protect your children from distraction. 

10. Student Agendas • Agendas pads were sold online this year during registration. If you did not order one, you can still get a different one from a local store or contact the office about purchasing an HTMS one. • Homework assignments will be written in agenda pads daily. This is a crucial tool for 6th graders. • Each teacher will have a place in his or her room where homework assignments will be written. It is each student’s responsibility to copy the homework into his or her agenda pad. • If students are absent, they are responsible for all missed work. Two days are given to make up assignments for each day they are absent . Ex: 2 days missed = work turned in on 4th day

11. Late Assignments • All grades will be put in the computer (iNow) as soon as the assignment has been graded. • If a student is absent, the assignment missed will be left blank in iNow until he/she completes the assignment based upon the school make-up work policy. Students, with an excused absence, are allowed no more than two days for every day absent to make up any test or assignment. • We encourage parents to check iNow Home weekly. This link can be found on the HTMS website on the left hand side of the site under the resources tab labeled “iNow”. Username and passwords can be obtained through the front office. However, if your child attended Paine last year, the username and passwords remain the same.

12. Newsletters • We will send out a newsletter each week on Friday. It is crucial to read over this newsletter as it will answer a lot of questions you may have about a school event, assignment, or upcoming tests or projects.

13. New to the middle school? • There are several procedures we do differently here than the intermediate school. For example: • Excuses for being absent go to the office, not the teacher and cannot be sent through email. • Students will take their lunch money to the lunch room when their class goes to lunch that day. • If your child is sick, he/she must go to the nurse. Unfortunately, he/she will not be able to text you to get them or to bring them medicine—the nurse must get in contact with you. • If a student is late to school, they’ll have to check in through the office—even if they are only 5 minutes late. • In the mornings, students will typically wait in the gym unless a teacher gives them a pass to come to their room for one reason or another.

14. Transportation • Please make sure your child knows how he/she is getting home after school. If he/she is riding the bus, please tell them to write down their bus number on the first day. 

15. Alpha Dog Hall Pass Students have 4 minutes between classes to go to lockers/restroom. However, we understand emergencies do happen. Each student will receive 3 team passes each 9 weeks.

16. Put the following items in the correct teacher’s room:English: Mrs. O’Brien 1 1 inch binder with 5 tab dividers Math: Ann Bettis 4 composition notebooks(can be graph paper notebooks) Science: Rebecca Brown 2 composition notebooks Social Studies: Mindy Dennis 2 composition notebooks 2 packs of index cards 1 pair of scissors Reading: All Teachers 2 composition notebooks Among the Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix

17. Please put the following items in Mrs. Dennis’s room:Disinfectant wipesTissuePaper towelsHand sanitizerPosted notesColor/Copy paperExpo markersIndex cards

18. Meet the Teacher • If you know anyone who couldn’t join us tonight, please tell them to come by to meet us at Meet the Teacher on August 10th from 7am-9am.

19. Email Addresses: MATH Ann.bettis@trussvillecityschools.com LANGUAGE Jamie.Obrien@trussvillecityschools.com SOCIAL STUDIES mindy.dennis@trussvillecityschools.com SCIENCE rebecca.brown@trussvillecityschools.com

20. We hope that tonight has been helpful. If you have any concerns related specifically to your child, please email us at the following addresses: