Harwood Middle School blog update, October 23, 2020

HUMS UNITY DAY

This past week, HUMS students and staff united to celebrate

kindness, acceptance, and inclusion.

Each Unity Day, students around the world wear orange to demonstrate unity against bullying. Pictured above is a orange paper chain stretched between our 7th and 8th grade cores aras that containe committments of all of our students and staff to stop bullying.

Coming Soon:

• This coming week TAs will compete in a cornhole tournament to see who will hold the TA Spirit Trophy for the month of November. 
• School pictures are tentatively scehduled for the week of November 9th. More information soon.
• Student Conferences will be held on November 12 and 17th. Within the next week families will recieve information regarding our on-line scheduling program, Canyon Creek, to reserve a time/day for your conference.

Update:

• HUMS would like to welcome James DeLizza to our staff for the 20-21 school year. Mr. DeLizza hails from Brooklyn NYC and recently was teaching middle school Language Arts in New Hampshire. He has traveled and taught extensively in the United States. We look forward to having him join our team for the school year..

Middle School Students never cease to amaze!  

Feattured above is a HUMS student's electronic backpack 

broadcasting Unity Day for all to see.  

(You can also play 1980's video games on it as well) 

Unity Day, the signature event of National Bullying Prevention Month, has been  recognized in the United States since 2011. To participate in Unity Day, individuals, schools, communities, and businesses wear or display orange to show support for students who have been bullied.

7th graders collected macro invertebrates in the Lozelle Brook! They will meet with a scientist from VT EPSCoR on Wednesday to learn more about what information the macroinvertebrates can give us about the water quality of the Brook.

On Tuesday and Friday, students are encouraged to dress up for Halloween if they would like with appropriate costumes (only school-approved face masks; nothing covering the eyes)

REMINDER:   All HUUSD is  returning to full (not HUBS) morning bus runs.
Riding the bus insures your child will be on time and cuts down on vehicles on the road and in the parking lot. The revised morning bus routes can be found online here.

Reminder:  No School on November for Election Day 2020.  Please Vote!   

HUUSD Board Meeting Recap, October 14 - The HUUSD Board met remotely on Wednesday, October 14. The meeting began with questions for Superintendent Nease about Return to Learn planning and an update from Harwood’s student representatives. 

The meeting centered around the district’s preK-12 plan. The Board approved a motion to “move forward with the implementation of middle school consolidation in FY ‘22-23, for 7th and 8th graders at Crossett Brook Middle School.” Many details will be fleshed out in the coming months and the Board expects to use time at its next meeting to discuss plans for bringing the merger to fruition and a bond to voters. 

In other actions, the Board approved hiring a law firm to assist in negotiating new collective bargaining agreements with the teacher and support staff associations; approved several agenda topics for discussion at future meetings; developed a committee to explore reducing the size and changing the configuration of the Board; and accepted the report of an independent investigator who found no merit to the claim that, in 2016, the Superintendent acted inappropriately during a purported conversation regarding an incident of racism.

The next regular Board meeting will be October 28th, at 6:00PM. Remote meeting requirements have made it easier than ever to participate in or view School Board meetings, and we hope you will consider joining us. You can also email the board with your thoughts at cen-huusdboard@huusd.org

-- To participate live through Zoom, simply click on this link at the meeting’s start time: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/386460007#success

-- To view either live or after-the-fact on YouTube, use this link: tinyurl.com/huwebapp-youtube-live

-- To view on Mad River Television, use this link: www.mrvtv.com

Thank you for continued support,

The HUUSD Board

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.


ELECTION DAY CHILDCARE Neck of the Woods(NOW) will be offering childcare on November 3rd, 7:30-3:00 for $40/child.  There will also be care 3:00-5:00 for $15/child. Please email Catrina at neckofthewoodsNOW@gmail.com to sign up.
 

Talking with Kids About Racism   Tuesdays, October 13, 20, and 27, 6-8pm. Hosted Online by the MRV Libraries and the Peace & Justice Center. Talking about race and racism can be difficult -- especially with children, but that does not mean we shouldn't have these conversations. This three-part program is for all people concerned about the impact of racism and/or white privilege on children. Learn tools to discuss these issues with children in a meaningful and age-appropriate way through resources, discussion, and role playing. Participants are expected to attend all three sessions unless other arrangements are made in advance with the facilitators. If the workshop fills, priority will be given to those who can attend all sessions. Registration is required and space is limited.
Register Here: https://secure.lglforms.com/form_engine/s/muwMTeQ0vVyOqyDPpBJNIQ

4-H Enrichment Opportunities    Are you looking for enrichment activities for your students on remote learning days? UVM Extension 4-H can help!   Check out our offerings at www.uvm.edu/extension/youth/announcements
All programs are FREE but registration is required. Programs are developed for certain ages but please inquire if interested. Some options include: 

• 4-H Speak Up Contest (grade 3-12):

Part of civic engagement, a key mission of the 4-H program, is helping young people use their voice to drive change in their communities. The 4-H Speak Up contest encourages youth to explore and share their thoughts and ideas. Enter a video for a chance to be heard! Contest ends November 30; a $50 gift certificate will be awarded to the winner in each age category.

           FREE DIGITAL THERMOMETER

Text FLUENCY to 900900 to connect with this program being offered by Kinsa; you will receive a digital thermometer in the mail, free, and be guided in downloading an app that syncs to the thermometer. 
       

Harwood Middle School Blog update, October 12, 2020

 

HUMS students got creative in celebrating national smile day with Jen!  Every year on the first Friday of October the world celebrates the World Smile Day. The possibility of World Smile Day was authored and started by Harvey Ball who was a business craftsman from Worcester in Massachusetts. He is known to have made the Smiley Face in the year 1963.

HUMS Welcomes our Families to our

Caring, Connected and Curious learning Community

We are honored to welcome your family to the Harwood Middle for the 2020-21 school year.    Given our safe and healthy start to school year our HUMS's newsletter (Blog) has been a bit delayed in its publication. Now that our school's opening was successful, we will begin to send out bi-weekly blog updates for your review. Our blog will highlight ways in which our HUMS students learn, grow in teach how to become Curious, Connected and Caring community members. We are committed to creating a school program that supports these three fundamental in the following ways:

Curious Learners

We are committed to helping all of our students develop their intellectual capacity, academic skills, and social competence so that they will be prepared to effectively negotiate the demands associated with living in an ever-changing 21st century.  

Connected Learners

We are committed to instill within each student the essential principles of pride, respect and  responsibility so that they will become productive and contributing members of our interconnected school community.   

Caring Learners

We are committed to setting high expectations for all aspects of our school community.  These expectations, which have been established by our fantastically dedicated staff, will be maintained while also providing a safe and nurturing student-centered community that fosters respect for individual differences and the fundamental value that everyone matters.   

As with all educational organizations we are not perfect. We appreciate feedback about how things are going and will continuously work to improve our school's programming/community to ensure we support our students on their learning journey. Let us know how we are doing.

Be Curious, Be Caring, Be Connected, Be HUMS!  

Duane Pierson

Harwood Middle School

HUMS Teacher Advisory Programming
Supporting our Students to be Caring, Connected and Curious Learners 

Below are some updates about HUMS Teacher Advisory (TA) programming. If you have any questions about this programming, please reach out to lead TA teachers, Jen Dreimiller, Nick Gordon and Sarah Ibson. 

HUMS TA October:

• October is Bullying prevention month and TA this month will focus on initiatives including social media and cyber-bullying prevention. Other activities will highlight inclusion, kindness, and acceptance including celebrating Unity Day on October 21. 
• Once per week in TA, team teachers will continue to do academic check-ins with students focusing on academic progress, and/or missing assignments, and goal-setting. 
• Stay tuned for upcoming Halloween and team building activities. We know Halloween will look different this year so some students are taking the lead in planning some fun during TA the week of Halloween!

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.

 

Destination Imagination: an intro to destination imagination, creative teams for kids and teens, Thursday, Oct. 15, 4:00-5:30, outdoors and social distanced in a big tent at Living Tree Alliance, 110 Living Tree Lane, Moretown.  Learn about the program and try some creative mini-challenges. RSVP by texting Melanie at 802-503-9774.  Families will sit at separate tables and wear masks while underneath the tent. For more information email: janeyoungbaer@gmail.com

 

Talking with Kids About Racism   Tuesdays, October 13, 20, and 27, 6-8pm. Hosted Online by the MRV Libraries and the Peace & Justice Center. Talking about race and racism can be difficult -- especially with children, but that does not mean we shouldn't have these conversations. This three-part program is for all people concerned about the impact of racism and/or white privilege on children. Learn tools to discuss these issues with children in a meaningful and age-appropriate way through resources, discussion, and role playing. Participants are expected to attend all three sessions unless other arrangements are made in advance with the facilitators. If the workshop fills, priority will be given to those who can attend all sessions. Registration is required and space is limited.

Register Here: https://secure.lglforms.com/form_engine/s/muwMTeQ0vVyOqyDPpBJNIQ

           FREE DIGITAL THERMOMETER

 

Text FLUENCY to 900900 to connect with this program being offered by Kinsa; you will receive a digital thermometer in the mail, free, and be guided in downloading an app that syncs to the thermometer.