Harwood Middle School update, December 6, 2019

Connected by a Thread!   
HUMS knitting club meets every morning to
knit!  That's right - middle school students knitting.  Thanks to
 incredible community donations, our amazing advisor Kyla and
some really dedicated students, the club grows in
size each day.  Rumor has it that they plan to knit a cap for Mr. Pierson - we really
don't know why??

Emily Smith, HUMS world language educator, and Erika Lindberg (Valley world language educator) recently presented

 "Beyond MovieTalk - Fun and Assessment Can Go Hand in Hand" at the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages national conference in Washington D.C. 

Their work with student assessment and engagement was recognized nationally.  

Proud they are part of HUMS!  

Subject: HUUSD Board Meeting Recap 11/20(Board recap, 12/4 will be sent soon) 

Dear members of our six town community,

At our last meeting on November 20, 2019, the Harwood Unified Union School District (HUUSD) Board:

Heard from Michelle Baker, Director of Finance & Operations, who gave a presentation that focused on historical budget data as well as some projections.

Heard the Student Representatives’ Report.

Had a brief discussion and check-in regarding the timing and scope of the bond.

The Board took action on the four (4) items below:

Approved the following items as part of the consent agenda: Approve: Minutes of 11/13/19; Accept: Voucher 1115 equaling $118,055.47

Voted against having all HUUSD 7th and 8th graders attend Crossett Brook Middle School next year.

Adopted: No students in the initial first year of IDC for school year 2020-21 will be approved in grade 7 or 8. Those students in year 2 and beyond will continue in their existing placement, with limited exceptions as identified by the Administration. 

Adopted: The board affirms their support for a plan that ultimately combines 7th and 8th grade students into a single middle school environment at CBMS. 

Our next meeting is Wednesday, December 11th at 6:00 pm in the Harwood Union School library. Please visit https://huusd.org/huusd-board to confirm time and place of meetings. 

You’ll also find all board and committee agendas, packets and minutes, and the link to board meeting videos. The direct link to watch this and other recent meetings is: https://mrvtv.com/category/school-board-meetings/. An archive of older meetings can be found here: https://archive.org/search.php?query=Harwood+Unified+Union+School+Board&sort=-date 

Thank you for your continued support and engagement.

Respectfully,

The HUUSD Board

HUMS students in health class!  
HUMS students all take health as a part of our middle school curriculum.  Important and timely topics regarding the many adolescent issues - developmentally, socially and emotionally
they may face as they go through these turbulent and exciting years of their life.  
Topics like bullying, digital citizenship, depression, relationships, healthy choices
and a host of others are discussed and focused on as part of this class.  

Liz Hepp, our amazing school assistant, not only keeps
the school running smoothly, she also offers weekly help to
our aviation club!  Pictured here one of top pilots shows off his
homemade functioning plane!  

Community Announcements

Please note that the opportunities/events listed below are not specifically endorsed or screened by school staff. As always, families should use their own standards and review processes to determine appropriate activities.

Registration for Harwood Volleyball Club March Madness 2020 Season is Open. For all interested grade 5-8 boys and girls in HUUSD.Learn the basic skills and rules of the sport. Month of March only: twice a week practice, once a week match, and end-of-season tournament. 

Practices at Thatcher Brook Primary School and Crossett Brook Middle School.  Matches/tournament at various locations.

Early Signup Discount by 1/20/2020.

For more information and to register, go to: http://tinyurl.com/harwoodmsmm2020

Please direct any questions to Eric Brewer @ mail@brewfam.com

Christmas Toys for Children Toys will be available at the Mad River Valley Food Shelf for children of families in the Mad River Valley that need a little extra help at Christmas.  Please visit the toy room in the basement of Evergreen Place in Waitsfield(down the hall from the Food Shelf) on the following dates to choose a gift or two for your young children: Thursday, December 12th, 10-12:00, and Tuesday, December 17, 9-12:00.

Gifts of Kindness Harwood Union Rotary Interact club is holding the Gifts of Kindness clothing and toy drive for our 16th year. This drive seeks to collect new and like new toys and clothing for families in Washington County experiencing homelessness. We plan to collect items between the dates of November 25th and December 11th. There is a collection box in the school lobby. Interact works with the Good Samaritan House, the only homeless shelter in Central Vermont, and CIRCLE in Barre, who provide shelter for families experiencing domestic violence. Our goal is to brighten the holiday season for people in need. We hope you will be able to help out! Please feel free to contact Ellen Berrings, 882-1167 or eberrings@huusd.org for more information. 

Registration NOW OPEN for Mad River Valley Youth Lacrosse  Mad River Valley Youth Lacrosse offers girls and boys lacrosse for grades K-8.  Weather permitting, outdoor practices begin in April at Mad River Park.  The registration fee is $100 before January 31st and $120 after. For more information and to register, please go to www.madriverlax.com.

Escape Room Opens December 4th -February 23 An escape room with a mad scientist themed course is now open at the Sugarbush Health and Recreation Center.  This project was completed by a group of local high school students.  Your team must work together to find clues, crack codes, and solve mind puzzles to complete the mission before time runs out. To register, visit the following link: https://www.sculptureschoolvt.com/escape-room-2019