Waggoner's Word - December 12, 2014

December 12th, 2014



Dear Parents,



Calendar of Events for the Week of December 15th-19th:

Monday, December 15th: Orchestra Winter Concert-7:00PM HMS Cafeteria

Tuesday, December 16th: Choir Winter Concert-7:00PM HMS Cafeteria

Thursday, December 18th: Go Green Celebration for each grade level

Thursday, December 18th: End of First Semester

Friday, December 19th: Staff Work Day/Begin Student Winter Break

Tuesday, January 6th, 2015: Second Semester begins-students return from Winter Break



REMARK YOUR CALENDARS PLEASE: Our December 17th Hopewell MS No Homework Night has been changed to Friday, January 16th, 2015!!!  Due to the large number of students studying for and taking tests, finishing up any outstanding work and projects etc…we are moving it to the 3 day weekend - Martin Luther King Holiday.  Students will not be coming to school on Monday, January 19th so that will be a nice break from the rigors of doing homework or having to study for a test over that weekend.



Our first annual Middle School 101 for rising 6th graders and parents will be held on Wednesday, February 11th in the Hopewell MS Cafeteria from 6:30PM-8:00PM.  The purpose of MS101 will be to provide our rising 6th graders and their parents an overview of the middle school experience specific to Hopewell.  Information on this evening will be going out in our feeder elementary school principal newsletters in January.



REMINDER:

Our Hopewell MS Cell Phone policy dictates that students are to turn off and put away their cell phones during school hours and instructional time including passing periods.  Students may have their phones out at lunch minus texting and using social media.  Students are not to be listening to music during class or have their headphones out.  Teachers may opt to have students use their cell phones for instructional activities/purposes only and only at teacher discretion.  Students that do not comply with this distraction to instruction will have their cell phone picked up and delivered to the main office.  Parents will be required to come up to school and pick up their child’s phone.   We need your help at home to reinforce and support our no cell phone policy during instructional time unless used for instruction.  Thanks!


Two local authors will be visiting our 7th grade students on Friday, January 9th.  Varian Johnson is the author of The Great Greene Heist which is on the 2015 Lone Star Reading List and Jennifer Ziegler who is the author of Revenge of the Flower Girls and How Not to be Popular.  Students will have the special opportunity to purchase personalized autographed copies of these books.  Order forms can be printed out from the attachment in this Waggoner’s Word or picked up in the library.  This would be a great Holiday Gift opportunity!  Please contact Michelle McLaughlin at: 512-464-5222 for more information.



One of our Hopewell MS 8th graders, Adriana Garcia has initiated a TOY DRIVE beginning on Monday, December 15th-December 18th to help put a smile on the faces of kids this holiday season at Dell Children’s Hospital.  Please help this incredible cause that will bring some holiday cheer to these special kids.  You can help by donating new toys, books, and/or art kits.  Your child may drop off the toys at the CHOIR ROOM from 8:00AM – 4:00PM.  Let’s rally around Adriana as a Hopewell School Community as she works to help these kids out!  Thanks!


Below is a great article I ran across in my professional reading dealing with a major issue with our youth in these busy, tech driven times-sleep deprivation.  It affects their physical, academic, and emotional health and keeping on top of this issue as parents is crucial.  Making sure that your children put away their cell phones and computers at a reasonable hour and get a good solid 8 hours of sleep will go a long way to ensure that our students are getting the most out of their school and learning time.  Hope you find the below article helpful.



More on Teen Sleep Deprivation

In this article in Principal Leadership, Saara Myrene Raappana sums up the accumulating research on the deleterious effect of sleep deprivation on teenagers and reports that only 15 percent of U.S. teens get the recommended minimum of eight and a half hours on school nights. The impact:

Athletic performance – Studies of football players, swimmers, and tennis players have shown that getting an ideal amount of sleep improves athletic performance and stamina and reduces fatigue.
Attention span – The NYU Sleep Disorders Program has found that inadequate sleep can result in children displaying hyperactivity, inattention, and impulsiveness.
Bodily health – Proper sleep is linked to reduced inflammation, healthier weight, better cardiovascular health, and a longer life span.
Creativity – The emotional elements of new memories are bolstered during sleep, which may stimulate the creative process, according to a Harvard study.
Driver safety – Driving when sleep-deprived is even more dangerous than driving drunk, according to a 2009 report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. One night of insufficient sleep is equivalent to one alcoholic drink.
Grades and test scores – Numerous studies have shown that students with impaired or irregular sleep perform more poorly on tests and have lower grades than those who get enough sleep.
Memory – Consolidation occurs during sleep, which strengthens memories and helps “practice” skills.
Mental health – Sleep reduces stress levels, decreases anxiety, and can play a part in alleviating symptoms of depression.
There does seem to be a national trend toward later high-school start times: since 2012, high schools in California, Oklahoma, Georgia, and New York have pushed their start times later, joining Connecticut, North Carolina, Kentucky, and Minnesota.



“Let Them Hit Snooze” by Saara Myrene Raappana in Principal Leadership, December 2014 (Vol. 15, #4, p. 14-15), http://www.nassp.org/Knowledge-Center/Publications/Principal-Leadership



Our 2013-2014 Report Card based on last year’s STAAR Performance results are now out and available through the Texas Education Agency (TEA).  Please use this link to get to the Hopewell specific data and information: http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/perfreport/src/2014/campus.srch.html
• School Report Card – The purpose of the SRC is to inform parents and guardians about school performance and characteristics.  Type in the word Hopewell (don’t add middle school) in the box and click search and our report card should pop up.  A hard copy will be going home with each Hopewell student early next semester.



Hope you all have a wonderful holiday season with your friends and family.  This is a special time of the year and I hope yours is a great one!  My first semester at Hopewell as principal has been one of the best years I’ve had in over 30 years as an educator.  It’s a true privilege to be at Hopewell.



Karl