November 7th, 2014
Dear Parents,
Calendar of Events for the Week of: November 10th-14th
November 10th– 14th. Book Fair in the Library 7:50AM – 3:45PM
Tuesday, November 11th: Veteran’s Day Assembly Main Gym 8:30AM
Thursday, November 13th: Family Fitness Night @ Hopewell MS-5:30-7:00PM (Book Fair will be open!)
Friday, November 14th: GO-GREEN Positive Behavior Support reward event for students 11AM-1:30PM
It is with great sadness that I inform the Hopewell Community that one of our staff members, Jane Bohne passed away this week after a long battle with cancer. She was an exceptional teacher who worked hard with our ESL students. She dedicated her life to provide students an opportunity to learn the English language and see them become successful students and citizens. Her loss is profound and we will miss her deeply. Her memorial service is next Tuesday, November 11th at 4PM and we could use some parent help covering classes so that staff that want to attend, can. Please email Eva Vick at:eva_vick@roundrockisd.org if you can be at Hopewell from 2:45-3:30 and help cover a class. Teachers that will be going will be leaving work for their students to do and will need you to help monitor and supervise the students. We could really use your help as we rally behind Jane’s family and offer the support that they will need during this very difficult time. Thanks!
Our First Annual Veteran’s Day Assembly sponsored by the Hopewell Student Council is next Tuesday, November 11th at 8:30AM in our gym. We will be honoring those men and women that have served our country in the armed forces and have sacrificed so that we can be free. Remembering and honoring our Veterans is an import lesson for our students as they grow up and reap the benefits of this great nation. If you know a Veteran please pass on the word that you and they are welcome to attend our school-wide assembly next Tuesday morning.
Next Thursday evening is our 3rd Annual Family Fitness Night from 5:30-7:00 PM. Come and meet representatives from the Texas Stars, Round Rock Express, Round Rock Fire, Round Rock K-9 Unit, The Main Event, Austin Aztex, and the Austin Toros now Spurs. There will be plenty of fun games, great prizes and over 20 local businesses and organizations at the event to share all the wonderful ways we can get and stay active and fit within our great Hopewell community. Complete a passport to be entered into a drawing for fitness equipment and passes to the Austin Sports Arena. The first 50 students to complete the passport will be able to high five our Austin Spurs in the fan tunnel at a game in December. Hope to see you all there!
As we continue to ensure that Hopewell remains a safe school for all students, we are communicating our expectations to our student body that we will not tolerate any bullying or harassing behavior, will investigate every reported incident, will assure the victim that the behavior will be stopped, and that the bully will be held accountable. Students that persistently bully or harass other students will face serious consequences at Hopewell Middle School. Additionally, any students that are caught fighting, throwing punches as the aggressor or in retaliation will be suspended from school for a minimum of two school days. We will not tolerate this inappropriate and unacceptable behavior and we will continue to educate our students that handling issues through physical, harmful actions is not how we as a civil society operate. Middle school is about experiencing a variety of “learning curves” and it is our job as educators to teach our students about acceptable and unacceptable behavior so they will grow up to be happy and productive citizens. Please help support our efforts at Hopewell regarding this issue and reinforce our expectations with your child. We are all in this together and are an effective team. Thanks for your help and support.
We had a great High School 101 student/parent program Wednesday evening in the Hopewell cafeteria and lower commons area. Over 150 people braved the rain, wind and cold and heard presentations by the Stony Point HS Academy Directors, IB coordinator, and ROTC coordinator about elective choices and structures for next school year. One of our campus goals this year is to improve on our transitions both into middle school and into high school for our students. I like to call the middle school experience “magic in the middle” because so much physical, emotional, and academic growth occurs during those years. This First Annual High School 101 event gave our 8th graders and their parents a broad overview of high school electives and an opportunity to ask specific questions of the Academy Directors and the Stony Point students they all brought with them. It was an exceptional experience and one that we will continue next year as well. The next steps for our 8th graders will be to hear course selection presentations by the Stony Point Counselors in February. We got the wheels turning this week and took our first steps to high school. I also want to extend a very special thank you to our WONDERFUL PTA for providing cookies and waters to our guests and presenters last night. That added a very special touch to a great evening.
Hopewell MS now has our very own YouTube Channel!! We will post videos throughout the year depicting various events and school life on the channel. You may access our YouTube Channel via our school website main page. The link is found on the left side of the main page toward the bottom of the link menu. Click on the link and our channel will pop up! The first video is a recording of the High School 101 8th – 9th grade transition student parent meeting held on Wednesday, November 5th with presentations by the Stony Point Academy Directors. Check it out. I’m sure that the next video posted will be of our Veteran’s Day Assembly next Tuesday, November 11th.
We have had several complaints from patrons that parents are parking the fire lanes between Hopewell MS and Union Hill Elementary schools. It is our mission to ensure that all our students are safe and that any emergency vehicles are able to access our buildings 24/7. Please help us by not parking in those fire lanes or leaving your vehicle unattended in a fire lane when picking up your students from school. Thanks!
Lastly, at Hopewell Middle School we will be implementing 5 No Homework Nights this school year with the first one being Wednesday, November 19th. That means that absolutely no homework will be assigned by any teacher at Hopewell that evening and that no tests or quizzes will be given the next school day. Additionally, we will not be doubling up on homework the next school day. We want our kids to have a break from the rigors of school and have time to just be kids, play outside, hang out with their friends, and have some quality family time. One Hopewell feeder elementary school, Teravista Elementary will be supporting our efforts and will also not be assigning homework those nights nor give quizzes or tests the next school day. One other feeder elementary is considering it and I thank them both for supporting our efforts to promote family time. The dates for Hopewell No Homework Nights set for this school year are:November 19th, December 10th, February 11th, April 8th, and May 27th.
Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!
Karl
Karl
