News from Panther Headquarters
April 2021
From the desk of the Principal...
Greetings Panther Families–
As of April 12th, all the HIJH students will have had the opportunity to attend in-person learning 4 days a week with E-Fridays continuing. There will not be an option to change from Virtual to In-Person. If you have chosen In-Person learning, and your child must be absent, you must call the absence into the attendance line, and you cannot request to be virtual for days or weeks at a time. The student will be marked absent in Skyward, but they still may have the opportunity to join his/her teachers’ Zoom links for learning purposes. Also, if you have chosen to remain or return to In-Person, you may return to Virtual learning at any time, but you must remain Virtual for the remainder of the year. Again, it is all In-Person or all Virtual at this point.
This IDOE ILEARN assessment will take place this spring. The IDOE window is 4/19-5/14, but I anticipate that we will be able to complete in person testing by the first week of May. Testing will take place in the morning each day on a modified 2-hour testing schedule until approximately 10:45 at which time students will go to all of their scheduled classes. Please try to schedule appointments around these dates/times, if possible. We appreciate your cooperation. Virtual students will take the ILEARN on Fridays as students must take the assessments in person per the IDOE guidelines. A schedule will be sent to virtual families soon.
This last quarter will be fast paced. We will continue to emphasize our PAWS Expectations to ensure we maintain the safe and supportive educational learning environment. We appreciate all that you do to ensure your child is ready to learn each day; thanks again for all of the support!
Respectfully,
Tim A. Mankin
Upcoming Important Dates
Please click here for April's Upcoming Important Dates.
Please click here for HIJH Athletic Upcoming Important Dates.
Attendance
Students are expected to be present for all classes, zoom or physically in person. If your child is going to be Late, Absent or needs an Early Dismissal, in person or virtually , we ask that you report the absence to the Attendance Line, 317-594-4126. If the absence remains unreported, it will be Unexcused in Skyward.
Thank you for your help in this important matter!
Counselor's Corner
Testing Dates to Note. Please mark your calendars to ensure your child is in attendance these testing periods.
ILEARN testing window - April 19 - May 14, 2021
It is extremely important that your child be in attendance and on time during these testing days. Also, it would be advantageous to reschedule any appointments you have scheduled during these days.
Course Scheduling for 2021-2022. All 6th, 7th AND 8th grade students should have been scheduled for the upcoming school year. Those students still needing to select courses will be called to the Guidance Office to select their course elective. Core subjects will be a natural progression of the courses for which they are currently scheduled.
All schedule changes must be made by prior to the end of the school year, May 25th, to allow for course offerings and staffing! (8th grade students who want to make a change to their high school schedule must contact their high school counselor. This must be done prior to leaving for the summer).
Current 5th Grade Students. Course selection for the 2021-2022 school year will be a natural progression of the courses they are currently scheduled. Students will be able to view their next year course selection in Family Access later this spring. Schedules will not be available at that time.
Current 8th graders Attending a Private School Next Year. If your child will be attending a private school for their 9th grade year, you must notify the HIJH Guidance Office (317-594-4124) or email Cheri Mahoney (cmahoney@hse.k12.in.us) as soon as possible, so records can be prepare for the new school prior to leaving for the summer. HSEHS and FHS require we forward these withdrawal forms to them at the end of this school year. If one is not completed, you will be phoned by their high school to come in to sign their form before they will release records to your new school.
Withdrawing your Student. If your child will be withdrawing from HIJH, you must notify the Guidance Office (317-594-4124) at least two days in advance of your child’s last day. Withdrawal forms prepared by the Guidance Office must be signed by the parent/guardian. Once all administrative items are completed, a copy of the withdrawal form, current grades and schedule will be given to the student to provide to their future school for enrollment.
Current 7th Graders Interested in Peer Tutoring Next Year. For an entire period every day for a semester, peer tutors will work with special education students in the FAP classroom. Peer tutors help with academic instruction, monitoring student success, playing games, or may accompany them to their electives, such as art or PE. Peer tutors must be flexible and a continual positive influence during their period of service each day. The peer tutor class will be in place of a semester elective class. Tutors will receive a semester grade and elective credit for their peer tutor service. If you are interested in this wonderful opportunity to serve, please watch the Media Canvas Page for the application.
Honor Roll Postings for 7th and 8th Grade Students. HIJH is located on the Home page of the HIJH website: https://hij.hseschools.org/. Students receiving high honor roll have received no grade lower than an A-. Students receiving regular honor high honor roll have received no grade lower than a B1.
Click here for information on HSE's Royal Rumble for incoming freshman.
Click here for Twenty-First Century Scholars information.
Click here for information on Northwestern University Midwest Academic Talent Search.
Messages from the Nurse
Covid. If you think your child has Covid symptoms or has tested for Covid, please inform the school nurse. Additionally, if someone in your family has tested positive for Covid, please contact the nurse for quarantine instructions. This would even include virtual students.
We have created an online form that we ask you fill out if your child has received a positive COVID-19 test result or has been notified as being a ‘close contact’ of someone who has tested positive for COVID-19. Once you submit the questionnaire, a staff member will contact you to gather additional details.
Another COVID-19 testing site dedicated to prioritizing testing for school-related exposures for Hamilton Southeastern Schools and private schools in Fishers will open at 8933 Technology Drive. Appointments can be scheduled by going to the Fishers Health Department website and selecting “School Testing” on the assessment.
Reminder: Parents of 5th grade students. When your student enters 6th grade they will need Tdap and Meningitis vaccinations. Please check with your doctor. Once you get the shots, please email Erika Allen at eallen@hse.k12.in.us, or fax to 317-594-4129. If you get shots anytime in the current school year-please send.
Please stay safe and be healthy!
Spring Break Travel
If you plan to travel outside the United States, the CDC offers recommendations for a safe return to the U.S. and school:
· Get tested 3-5 days after travel AND stay home and self-quarantine for 7 days after travel.
- Even if you test negative, stay home and self-quarantine for the full 7 days.
- If your test is positive, isolate yourself to protect others from getting infected (10 days isolation from start of symptoms or test date, whichever occurs first).
· If you don’t get tested, it’s safest to stay home and self-quarantine for 10 days after travel.
· Avoid being around people who are at increased risk for severe illness for 14 days, whether you get tested or not.
Click here for the link to travel restrictions and recommendations.
Library News
Crystal Allen, the author who spoke with students in late February, started a writing contest during her virtual author visit. We had 216 story entries from our HIJH Panthers! Well done to all Panthers who entered, and congratulations to the winners who were recently notified! They will have a virtual lunch with Mrs. Allen in April and become members of her Strikewriters club.
School Library Month is in April! Students can stay tuned for more on our contest and programming plans for School Library Month when we return from Spring Break! Share your love of libraries too on social media during April! The Indiana Library Federation has some frames/backgrounds that can be used with #WeLoveOurLibrary, and you can use #HSElibs too.
HIJH Library will be hosting a virtual Book Fair through Follett from April 26 – May 7. Hooray for books and book fairs! This will be a great time to find new books to read before summer reading and break and a great way to support the HIJH library. You can start browsing and looking at some of the books that will be available on this site before the fair opens; then you can use that same link starting April 26 to purchase from the fair!
HIJH Sports Information
Athletic Donation Fundraiser. We are very thankful that we have been able to have sports during this very difficult time. It has provided our student-athletes and coaches with a much needed healthy outlet.
HIJH Athletics is almost completely self-funded and relies on ticket and concession sales to fund our programs. Due to capacity restrictions at our sporting events this year, and the many covid-related expenses we’ve had to incur, our athletic department has taken a tremendous hit financially.
We are asking for your help by supporting our one-time DIRECT DONATION CAMPAIGN to raise funds for HIJH Athletics. 100% of your donation will go to our Athletic Department. Donations can be made online at HERE or check/cash donations can be dropped off at the HIJH Main Office or mailed to: HSE Intermediate/Junior High, ATTN: Athletic Director, 12278 N. Cyntheanne Rd., Fishers, IN 46037. *Please make checks payable to HIJH. The deadline to make a donation is May 1st.
Please read through the attached Donation Letter for more details about our situation.
Athletic Information for Spring. Click here to find out about updated event protocol.
Thank you for supporting HIJH Athletics!
A year for the books. Order your HIJH 20-21 Yearbook
Yearbooks are on sale now at yearbookordercenter.com. Use school code 17035 to order. The yearbook highlights grades 5-8 (even though the school code indicates Junior High only)! Yearbooks are $35. Reserve your copy NOW while the price is low! Please send any virtual learning, sports and activity pictures to Ms. Huston at mhuston@hse.k12.in.us.
Attention all 7th and 8th Grade Parents
Attention all Parents of 7th Graders. Our early enrollment for the 2021-2022 Washington DC trip was HUGE! We already have over 150 7th graders enrolled! You can still sign up your 7th grader for the trip. If you sign up before June 4th, you get the $100 early enrollment discount! To sign up go to: https://worldstrides.com/custom/hamilton-intermediate-jr-high-school-dc/. If you have any questions please contact Eric Brown at ebrown@hse.k12.in.us.
Parents of 8th graders. The mayor of DC is giving a travel status update on April 5th. Once we have that information, we will be able to access the best course of action. As of right now, we are moving forward with the June trip (6/4/21-6/7/21)! If the trip needs to be rescheduled again, we will shoot for Labor Day weekend (9/3/21-9/6/21). Thanks for your patience and understanding. If you have any other questions, please contact Eric Brown at ebrown@hse.k12.in.us.
HIJH Music Fundraiser
The HIJH Music Department is launching a virtual fundraiser this year to help continue to provide the positive experiences that our young musicians have come to know and love. Donations that we receive from this fundraiser will provide funding for:
- Choreographers
- Sheet music
- Musical instrument repair and maintenance
- Sectional and adjunct music instructors
- Equipment
- Travel scholarships…and more!
100% of the proceeds of this fundraiser will go to students in the band, choir, and orchestra programs at HIJH. Please click here to donate, and thank you for your support!
Spring Musical- A Panther Cabaret
A Panther Cabaret will be held on May 14th and 15th. Please watch for more details coming soon.
PTO News
PTO Website. *Follow @HIJHPTO on Facebook for the latest and up to date HIJH information. Checkout our PTO website (www.hijhpto.wordpress.com) for the 2020 - 2021 calendar, meeting schedule, past meeting minutes, newsletters, and more.
Next PTO Meeting. The next PTO meeting will be Monday, May 3rd at 11 AM. All HIJH parents are invited to attend; however, if you plan to attend please RSVP to the HIJH PTO Facebook page.
Teacher Appreciation Day. Teacher Appreciation Day will be coming up the first week of May. We will be collecting gift cards and gift baskets to be given away to our amazing HIJH staff via fun raffles and games throughout the week. Thanks in advance for your help.
Dine to Donate. April 28th at Red Robin from 5-9 PM this is To Go/Carry Out-Only . Upcoming Dine to Donates for the month of May are: May 20th from 5-9 PM at SchoolHouse 7 and May 26th Kona Ice from 3-6 PM in Avalon, Welchel Springs and Hunters Run.
Panther Rewards. Send money back to the PTO so we can do awesome stuff for HIJH and your kids at no additional costs to you. It’s FREE money – it just takes a few moments of your time to sign up for these programs. The more families who are linked, the more money the PTO earns - and it all goes back to the school! Thank you for your support of the PTO and those families who have already linked their accounts to our school!
Kroger. You STILL earn all your Kroger reward/fuel points – this is just BONUS money for the PTO to use towards awesome things for HIJH and your kids. https://www.kroger.com/
1. Sign in to your account by clicking the person on the top right hand corner of the screen
2. Once you are signed, click “My Account” under your profile tab.
3. Click “Community Rewards” on the left hand side of the page.
4. Type in “HIJH-PTO” or use the school code WT583
5. Click “Enroll”Amazon. NOW HIJH can earn money when you shop AMAZON on BOTH the app and desktop at no cost to you. (“set up” has to be on your DESKTOP or in Safari NOT app) **Login to Amazon on your desktop or safari, then go https://smile.amazon.com/ type HSJH PTO under “supporting. (note: there is a S not an I – in HSJH). AFTER set up on desktop or safari – now go to the Amazon App, go to settings (=), click on Amazon Smile and follow the on screen instructions to turn on AmazonSmile on your phone.
Coke Rewards. Send Coke Bottle Caps in or enter codes online for HIJH.
Box Tops. Keep clipping & scanning Box Tops & send the clipped ones in with your child's name, grade, teacher on envelope or baggie. Five raffle prizes will be drawn each semester for those who enter 25 or more. Click here for more Box Tops information.
Thank you for your support of the PTO and those families who have already linked their accounts to our school! The more families who are linked, the more money the PTO earns - and it all goes back to the school!
Continuous Learning Challenges Helpful Hints from IDOE
The Continuous Learning Challenges, provided by educators at the Indiana Department of Education, are specifically designed without technology in mind. The skills are connected to Michael Fullan's Deep Learning Competencies, and children can participate either on their own or with some parental support. For families interested in extending or enriching their students' learning, this resource offers some great ideas!
https://www.doe.in.gov/covid-19/resources/continuous-learning-weekly-challenges
E-Waste Recycling Program
Middle Years
NEWS AROUND THE DISTRICT
Permitted use of school newsletters as required by the Equal Access Act is not an endorsement of this group or this group’s beliefs by Hamilton Southeastern Schools or the Board of School Trustees.
Hamilton Southeastern Intermediate/Junior High
Ph: 317-594-4120
Attendance: 317-594-4126
Guidance: 317-594-4124
Fax: 317-594-4129
Twitter: @HIJPanthers
Athletics Twitter: @HIJathletics