News from Panther Headquarters
October 2021
From the desk of the Principal...
Hello Panther Families –
How quickly the school year is moving! October 8th will be the end of the 1st Quarter already. October is a very busy month with lots of activities taking place for students. One of those activities is our Annual Global Read Aloud. This year all students will be joining millions of students around the world by participating in weekly readings of The Barren Grounds by David A. Robinson. This is wonderful fantasy novel for middle level students and always a highlight to the school year. We will also have the opportunity to have the author, David A. Robinson, as our Annual Author Visit in January. Another tremendously popular activity is the opportunity to bring back our Annual Dictionary Day on Friday, October 15. Students will work with the ELA/Reading teachers to select a word of their choice, and then dress up as that word for the day, if they choose. Students will then share their word in various capacities throughout the day. I always leave that day with an expanded vocabulary! Despite some of the challenges that still remain surrounding COVID safety precautions, I see students happy to be at school every day. We are thankful for the opportunity to help your child learn and grow. Thank you!
Respectfully,
Tim A. Mankin
Upcoming Important Dates
Click here to find HIJH upcoming important dates.
October/November Calendar
Early Dismissals
Please call the attendance line, 317-594-4126, by 9:00am to report Early Dismissals. This allows the staff adequate time to facilitate the request for dismissal. We will send your student a pass and have them waiting for you in the office at the time requested. If you are picking up your student after 3:30pm, please be aware that the car rider lane could be a double lane at that time.
If you do not call ahead……the parent/guardian will need to show identification to have the student dismissed. This is for the security of our students.
NOTE: Please be aware that it may take time to locate students who are at lunch, outside for P.E., Recess, etc. The more notice you can give the school, the smoother this process becomes. We appreciate your assistance!
Course Fee Information
Picture Retake Days
Packets from the September 10th picture day, will be coming home this week. They were handed out during SLT for 7/8 and Community Circle time for 5/6.
Our final picture make up/retake day will be on Friday, November 5th. This is for students that did not get their picture taken previously or would like a retake. If your student is having a retake done, please send them to school with their picture packet and they can get their picture retaken.
We will communicate with students when to come down. We are still working out the details.
You are not required to purchase photos. If you would like to purchase photos visit mylifetouch.com, our ID is EVTVRCXH3
Messages from the Nurse
Vision screening. The Indiana State Board of Health requires vision screening for all 5th and 8th graders. Testing dates will be October 26, 27 and November 2. Near and far vision will be screened, the results are pass or fail. You will only be notified if your student fails the screening test. If your child wears glasses or contacts, please make sure they have them at school during these days for accurate testing results. If you have any questions, please contact our school nurses at hijclinic@hse.k12.in.us
Illness. Just a reminder not to send in your student "sick" to school. If your student has Congestion/runny nose, loss of taste or smell, cough, headache, vomiting, sore throat, diarrhea, abdominal pains, fever of 100.4, or difficulty breathing.
Donations. The clinic is asking for donations of gently used leggings.
Please stay safe and be healthy!
Covid Reminder Information
Please remember to send your student to school healthy. If a student is ill and has any of the symptoms of Covid listed below, we encourage you to get your student tested using a PCR test, which is available via Fishers Health Department (COVID Vaccine | Fishers, IN - Official Website) or the Indiana Department of Health (ISDH - Novel Coronavirus: COVID-19 Testing Information). PCR tests are the most accurate and provide less risk of a false positive or negative result. A visit to your physician is also suggested if you feel this is not Covid-related, then a doctor's note would be needed for your student to return to school. Please do not send your child to school ill or while waiting for Covid test results.
Symptoms to monitor for: Fever or chills, Cough, Shortness of Breath or difficulty breathing, Fatigue, Muscle or body aches, Headache, New loss of taste or smell, Sore Throat, Congestion or runny nose, Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea.
Counselor's Corner
Back to School Forms. New and returning families must complete all “Back to School” forms, every year as they assist our staff with your student’s needs. Both the student health information card and the Community Health form must be completed.
Also, if you have not completed the rental agreement form for your child’s iPad, one must be completed each year. Every child is required to have an iPad as part of their book supply needs. Even if you choose to have your child bring their own device, this agreement must be completed, stating your intentions.
Snack Attack. This program, supported by the Fishers Youth Assistance Program and designed to provide students a little extra nourishment for the weekend. Your student will pick up a small sack of food in the Guidance Office. The sack is filled with individually wrapped snacks such as granola bars, fruit cups, pop tarts, peanut butter/crackers, Goldfish crackers, etc. The type of snacks will vary each week. Please let us know if your child has a peanut allergy as he/she will receive a special bag of peanut-free snacks. There is no cost to you or the school. If you are interested in having your student participate in FYAP's Snack Attack program or have questions, please contact Kristen Weitzel at kweitzel@hse.k12.in.us or by calling the Guidance Office at 317-594-4124.
Newly Enrolled Families/Address Changes. If you are new to the district or have changed your address over the summer, please be sure that you have provided all of the required residency documents to the Guidance Office. HSE district requires a lease, a closing statement or a warranty deed with the address and closer/leaser signature, and a recent copy of a utility bill and a drivers license with the accurate address. We will only need one document to change the address, but all are required documents within 45 days of the address change. Thanks for your assistance with this.
Click here for Twenty-First Century Scholars information. Eighth Graders must apply by June 30, 2022 to be considered.
Building Equity Team
Every HSE building has an Equity Team; HIJH’s Equity Team works with teachers on ways to create an inclusive classroom and school that welcomes and sees all students. If you or your student ever have an equity concern or topic you’d like to discuss, please feel free to reach out to our Equity Coaches, JoyAnn Boudreau and Sarah El-Rahaiby. We want to support all teachers, students, and families in working to have all students feel seen, represented, and valued.
Library News
Global Read Aloud with The Barren Grounds will kick off in October. This is the fourth time HIJH has participated in GRA, and the whole school will be reading this book by David Alexander Robertson. We invite you to also read it and chat with your students about it!
Our fall book fair was our best book fair ever! Shout out to our volunteers and everyone who pitched in! Thank you Panther families for your support of the library and fair! Here’s a graphic of how the fair went.
Book club has started and meets every other Wednesday morning. See Mrs. Boudreau if interested.
HIJH Sports Information
Boys & Girls Basketball Information: Basketball - HSE Intermediate/Junior High (hseschools.org)
Wrestling Information: Wrestling - HSE Intermediate/Junior High (hseschools.org)
Medical Forms Needed for Participation in Athletics.
1. IHSAA Sports Physical - hard copy on file with Athletic Director - physical exams must be completed on or after 4/1/21 to be valid for the '21-'22 school year. Physicals dated before 4/1/21 will NOT be accepted.
2. Rank One Online Signature Forms - submitted electronically - must be completed each year.
*The physical form must be signed by a physician (MD or DO), Nurse Practitioner, or Physician Assistant on page 3.
*The physician's license # must be included on page 3.
*NO stamped signatures will be accepted.
*Student-athlete & parent must sign bottom of page 2 and page 5.
*Do not exclude any pages of the Physical!
Attention all 8th Grade Parents
Attention all 8th grader parents. Registration has closed for this school year’s DC trip. However, can still register and your child will be placed on a waitlist. Students are pulled from the waitlist on “first-come-first-serve” so don’t wait. To register online go to www.worldstrides.com using our trip ID# 193268. For those already registered for the trip, our next meeting will be our roommate selection meeting for students only and will likely be on Friday, December 3 in the main gym at 8:30 AM. Go to our trip website at www.dctrip.info, or contact Eric Brown (ebrown@hse.k12.in.us ), if you have any additional questions.
Band Notes
The 7th and 8th Eighth Grade Concert Band and Symphonic Band will perform for friends and family, in-person, for our first concert of the year on Wednesday, October 27 at 7 PM in the HIJH Panther Hall. Band students should wear their uniforms for this concert: Black Dress Pants, Black Dress Shoes, Black Socks, and a white button-up shirt or a white blouse. Students should report to the music wing for warm-up at 6:30 PM. Hope to see you there!
HIJH Fundraiser
PTO News
ARE YOU IN THE LOOP? Follow @HIJHPTO on Facebook for the latest and up to date HIJH information. **Click here for the link to Sign up to receive all the latest PTO info & newsletter.
PTO website. Checkout our PTO website (www.hijhpto.wordpress.com) for the 2021-22 calendar, past meeting minutes, newsletters, and more.
Next PTO Meeting. The next PTO meeting will be Monday, October 4th at 11 AM in the HIJH conference room. All HIJH parents are invited to join us.
Thank You. SPIRIT WEAR - The spirit wear was distributed last week, unfortunately, some items did not pass quality control. If you did not receive an item, your invoice in the red bag will have a sticker on it. If you only ordered one item and did not receive it, then you will probably be receiving another email. We are working to get the remaining items as soon as possible. We know it is frustrating. We are frustrated on your behalf. If you have questions about your order, please contact Jourdan at jourdan@185promotions.com if you have general questions about the spirit wear, please message Sarah Hilbert. The school’s front office will not have any additional information. They will just refer you to Jourdan. *****We hope everyone enjoys their spirit wear! We appreciate your support. For those that will still be waiting on pieces, we sincerely apologize for the additional delay.
SECRET PALS - Thank you to all who signed up to be a Secret Pal for our amazing HIJH staff this year. If you signed up but did not receive an email with your assigned staff member, please reach out to Star Untersee on FB or at StarHope78@yahoo.com.
Dine to Donate. Ale Emporium Fishers, October 20th - all day (need flyer- it will be posted on the HIJH PTO FB page).
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 take 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!
Amazon. 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.
Kroger. (Set up on a desktop). You still earn all of your Kroger reward/fuel points-this is just BONUS money for the PTO to use towards awesome things for HIJH and your kids. https://kroger.com/. Sign into your account by clicking the person on the top right hand corner of the screen. Once you are signed in, click "My Account" under your profile tab. Click "Community Rewards" on the left hand side of the page. Type in "HIJH-PTO" or "WT583" and link your card to our account. Click "Enroll."
Market Day. Remember a few years ago, getting Market Day flyers, looking at all the tasty food, excited to go to school and pick it up...then it all disappeared . But never fear, Market Day is here... again! The program is slightly different though. No longer will flyers come home, you can shop any time online! No more getting in your car and driving all the way to school to get your food, it's shipped to you! Select our school when you buy and we get 10% back! You get tasty food while supporting the school, such a win win! Sign up to receive emails from them and get a coupon sent to your email. It's all pretty exciting and tasty! (https://www.marketdaylocal.com/)
Coke Rewards. Enter 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. Bonus: 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!
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
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.