News from Panther Headquarters
January 2021
From the desk of the Principal...
Greetings Panther Families–
Let me first thank you for sticking with us to provide the best learning opportunities we can in a virtual environment given the challenges that go along with COVID-19 and all the necessary safety precautions. We know there are many challenges, with new ones popping up each week that can be unique to families or wide scale for all. I have always adhered to the philosophy of "locus of control," the degree to which people believe that they, as opposed to external forces, have control over the outcome of events in their lives. There are things we can and should control, and there are things beyond our ability to control. Having to teach or learn virtually is not something anyone would prefer over having students with us in person each day, but the rationale for having to go virtual is something beyond our students’ or teachers’ control. With that said, I have witnessed a great deal of critical thinking, student engagement, and overall learning taking place. In choosing to be optimistic and find positives in our situation, I do know that in spite of the challenges, there are some elements of our new normal that will benefit us in the long run after we have returned to in person learning. The ability to communicate, teach, and share remotely through ZOOM opens many new possibilities in making connections with families in the future. The opportunity to connect 1:1 or in small groups in ZOOM sessions in a more private setting or when students cannot be at school could be a benefit to many as we proceed throughout this school year. As it stands, we hope to invite students back into the building in some fashion on January 19th if it is safe enough to do so, but that will ultimately be decided by the HSE Board of Education. In the meantime, please make sure to stay safe, stay positive, and support one another! Welcome back to 2021.
Respectfully,
Tim A. Mankin
Upcoming Important Dates
January 5 First Day of School
January 18 NO SCHOOL - Martin Luther King Day
January 27 Parent Night for 8th Graders-FHS via Zoom
January 27 Dine to Donate at Panda Express 10:30AM-9:30 PM
February 3 Parent Night for 8th Graders-HSEHS via Zoom
February 8 PTO Meeting at 11:00 AM via Zoom
Virtual Attendance
Panther Families-To ensure accurate record keeping and accountability, we do require attendance to be taken daily during virtual instruction. Students are expected to be present in all of their classes daily. If your child is unable to attend virtually, we ask that you report the absence to the Attendance Line: 317-594-4126 just as you would if we were in person. If the absence remains unreported, it will be considered unexcused. Thank you for your cooperation!
Counselor's Corner
Important Dates for 8th Grade Parents/Guardians.
Students attending HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN HIGH SCHOOL
January Date TBD - AP/Dual Credit Night Information via Zoom. The program is designed to provide information about HSE’s course offerings in Advanced Placement, Dual Credit, and Academic Specialty Program areas (Project Lead the Way: Biomedical Science, Engineering; Academy of Finance; Law & Government Academy; J. Everett Light Career Center). You will hear from students, teachers, and representatives from each of these classes and programs. This program is open to all current 8th through 11th grade students and their parents.
February 3rd - 8th Grade Parent Night Information via Zoom. The program is for 8th grade parents to receive information regarding scheduling and other general information about high school. Families will also get a chance to hear from their student’s guidance counselor to get information regarding course options.
February 17th–18th, 2021 is when you and your 8th Grade child will have selected a time to meet with an HSEHS Counselor, via Zoom, to create your child’s Course Requests for the 9th Grade. We will send out a Sign-up Genius to schedule those appointments. We will extend that information to you as soon as arrangements have been made.
Students attending FISHERS HIGH SCHOOL
January 20th - AP/Dual Credit Night Information for FHS via Zoom. The program is designed to provide information about FHS’s course offerings in Advanced Placement, Dual Credit, and Academic Specialty Program areas. You will hear from students, teachers, and representatives from each of these classes and programs. This program is open to all current 8th through 11th grade students and their parents.
8th Grade Parent Night Information for FHS via Zoom (originally scheduled for Jan. 27, 2021) will take place as an asynchronous event. A virtual database of videos and resources will be sent to the parents of the current 8th graders planning to attend Fishers High School starting the fall of 2021. The information will be sent via Skylert the week of January 19. If you have any questions, please contact Judy Schnettgoecke (jschnettgoecke@hse.k12.in.us). The program is for 8th grade parents to receive information regarding scheduling and other general information about high school. Families will also get a chance to hear from their student’s guidance counselor to get information regarding course options.
Monday, March 1, 2021 is when you and your 8th Grade child will have selected a time to meet with a FHS Counselor, via Zoom, to create your child’s Course Requests for the 9th Grade. We will send out a Sign-up Genius to schedule those appointments. We will extend that information to you as soon as arrangements have been made.
Fishers High School Tiger Fever. Each July, FHS High School hosts an incoming freshmen orientation event. It will help acclimate incoming freshmen to campus. The session will be held either Tuesday, July 20 or Wednesday, July 21 from 8 AM to 12:30 PM. Please complete the registration form and send back to FHS attention: Shelley Lidy. If you have any questions regarding Tiger Fever, please contact Shelley Lidy (slidy@hse.k12.in.us). Click here for more information.
HSE and FHS Summer Physical Education. HSE and FHS will each offer Summer PE from June 7 through June 25, 2021. The class is live and in person for 3 weeks from 7:30 AM to 12:30 PM Monday through Friday. If you are planning to attend Fishers High School, you must attend the FHS Summer PE class. If you are planning to attend HSE, you must attend the HSE Summer PE. To register for summer PE, click here for the registration form.
Current 6th and 7th grade students. As second semester approaches, please watch for information explaining scheduling choices for their 7th and 8th grade year. Sometime second semester, those students will meet with their junior high counselor to discuss course selection options for the 2021-2022 school year. Please know that you will be able to verify those course selections later in the spring.
Current 5th Grade Students. Course selection for the 2021-2022 school year will be a natural progression of the courses they are currently scheduled.
Testing Dates to Note. Please mark your calendars to ensure your child is in attendance these testing periods.
NWEA testing window - February 8 – 26th
CogAT testing window - March 1 – 12th (only 5th grade high ability testing)
ILEARN testing window - April 19 - May 14, 2021
Withdrawing your Student. If your child will be withdrawing from HIJH, you must notify the Guidance Office 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.
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 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.
Please stay safe and be healthy!
Library News
Keep reading, Panthers! Lots of options to pick up physical books or check out digital books (details in Canvas). We also recently revamped our Tech Help and Research pages in Canvas to make it easier to find what you need. (There are also some resources and tech help info on the library web page too for guardians: https://hij.hseschools.org/academics/library-media-center.) Virtual Daily Features are still up and running as we start January virtually. Reach out to Mrs. Boudreau if you need a hand from the library; she's happy to help!
HIJH Sports Information
Click here to learn about all of the HIJH Athletic Info. Click here to find out about updated winter event protocol.
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 $25 through the end of December. Late orders made second semester will be $35. No additional late orders will be taken after March. 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 has EXPLODED! We already have over 100 7th graders enrolled! If you missed out on the informational Zoom meeting in December, you can still sign up your 7th grader for the trip AND get the $100 early enrollment discount by going 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. We are all set to go for our trip in June! Remember our official rescheduled trip dates are 6/4/21-6/7/21. Nearly 100 kids are registered, but we still have a few spots open. If you are interested or have any other questions. please contact Eric Brown at (ebrown@hse.k12.in.us).
Ukelele Club
Open to all HIJH students grades 5-8. Any level player will be given use of an instrument and resources to help improve their playing while in the building. Purchase of a Uke for home is recommended. Practices will take place virtually via Canvas/Zoom, outdoors (when possible), and/or in the LGI room on Wednesdays after school and are flexible. Cost is free; optional T-shirt for $15. For more information, please contact Mrs. Hochstetler at rhochstetler@hse.k12.in.us. Click here for a permission slip.
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. You can also find us on Facebook at HIJH PTO (Official Site).
Next PTO Meeting. The next PTO meeting will be Monday, February 8th at 11 AM via Zoom. All HIJH parents are invited to join us-link will be posted on the PTO FB page closer to meeting time.
Dine to Donate.
-Wednesday, Jan 27 from 10:30 AM– 9:30 PM at Panda Express (must show flyer)
-Wednesday, Feb 24 from 4-8 PM at Chipolte @ HTC. (must show flyer)
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