Holland Middle

Important Dates:

Friday, September 20-  ½ day of school for students- Dismissal at 10:40am

Thursday, October 3rd- Parent/Teacher Conferences-  4:30-7:30

Tuesday, October 8th-  Parent/Teacher Conferences-  4:30-7:30

Thursday, October 10th-  Parent/Teacher Conferences- 12:30-3:30 (½ day for students)

Friday, October 11th-   No School

Thursday, October 29th-  5:30-7:30- 6th Grade Curriculum Night-

Tuesday, November19th-  STEM Fundraiser- Spaghetti Dinner/Dessert Auction-
 

Half Day of School-

This Friday, September 20th, is a ½ day of school for students with dismissal at 10:40.  Students will attend hours 1,2, and 3 on this day.    

Carpool Line Etiquette-  

When dropping off or picking up students at HMS, please only do so in the far right lane closest to the school.  Students should not be entering or exiting vehicles in the other lanes. This creates a dangerous situation for the students and causes substantial delays for all other parents.  If there is congestion in the carpool line you are encouraged to pull into the parking lot and drop off your child. They can then cross at one of the crosswalks.  

Protect Young Eyes Technology Contract-

Thanks to all of the parents who attended the Protect Young Eyes technology presentation last week. They will also be coming into the school to present to our students in October. As promised at the presentation, attached is a sample Cell Phone Contract that parents can use with their kids.    

Lunch Treats- 

Please avoid sending in cupcakes, cake, and balloons for birthdays. Also, please avoid delivering food to students at lunch time. These practices place an extra burden on office staff and cause disruptions in the cafeteria and classrooms.   We appreciate your cooperation.   

Dessert Auction and Spaghetti Dinner/November 19th 

This fall we will have our second Dessert Auction/Spaghetti Dinner!  Last year the funds went to help HMS get a 3D printer, and this year the funds raised will be used to help get our new greenhouse some needed equipment (a larger ventilation fan/long-lasting plastic covering).  If you would be willing to help, please take time to fill out the form below. If you have questions, please feel free to contact Mr. Boerman at bboerman@hollandpublicschools.org.

Link=Dessert Auction/Spaghetti Dinner Help!

Shout Outs-

Each week Mr. Cassidy sends an email out to teachers called the “Holla”.  It is an email consisting of anonymous compliments and praise that staff shares with each other regarding their team going above and beyond for others.  If you would like to share a positive message with a staff member and have it included in this weekly message, please email it to Mr. Cassidy at ncassidy@hollandpublicschools.org.  You will be copied on the “Holla” on Friday. -- 

Nick Cassidy

Principal

Holland Middle School

616-494-2425

Important Dates:

• Thursday, September 12th-  6:00-8:00pm- Protect Young Eyes (details below)
• Thursday, October 3rd- Parent/Teacher Conferences-  4:30-7:30
• Tuesday, October 8th-  Parent/Teacher Conferences-  4:30-7:30
• Thursday, October 10th-  Parent/Teacher Conferences- 12:30-3:30 (½ day for students)
• Friday, October 11th-   No School
• Thursday, October 29th-  5:30-7:30- 6th Grade Curriculum Night-
• Tuesday, November19th-  STEM Fundraiser- Spaghetti Dinner/Dessert Auction-

Technology Focus Group, Thursday, September 12th from 5:00-6:00

HMS needs about 10 parents to take part in a focus group to discuss technology usage at school.  This will be directly before the Protect Young Eyes presentation so it would be great if any parents who participate could stay for dinner and the presentation.  Please email Mr. Cassidy if you are interested in participating.  

Protect Young Eyes -September 12  6:00-8:00

Protect Young Eyes will be returning September 12 from 6:00-8:00 to talk to parents about technology use, social media, and the problems this is causing for our kids.   Parents will be provided much helpful information as well as information on how to keep your kids safe online, set boundaries, monitor their digital presence, etc. Of all of the issues parents bring to the administrators at HMS, a majority of them have to deal with issues that have originated online.  If there is one parent event that you attend this year, this is it!. There will be hundreds of dollars of resources given away at this event including books, 2 free routers, and Chik-Fil-A dinner.. Please make sure you register by going to the link below. Space is limited so make sure that you are able to secure your free seat!

RSVP at eventbrite, or visit the facebook event link

From the health office:

We have a new school nurse this year and her name is Emily Byl.  Emily is very excited to start helping students with their health needs as well as our families with any questions or concerns regarding your child’s health.  On that note, if your student has any health conditions that require medication or other treatments during school hours, please contact Nurse Emily by calling the school office.  These may include life threatening allergies, asthma, migraine headaches, seizures, etc. There are forms available in the front office if your child should need medications at school.

For the safety of all of our students, please do not send in ANY medication to school with your child.  This includes all prescribed medication from your doctor as well as over the counter medication such as pain relievers, cold medicine, cough drops, inhalers, nose sprays or medications applied to the skin.   Michigan law requires a form to be completed and signed by both the parent and the physician for student to have medication administered at school by a staff member.  Permission forms are available in the front office if your child needs medication at school.

Here is to a healthy and happy new school year!

Special Visitor to HMS

One of our 6th grade PE classes had a special visitor on Friday.   A parakeet kept flying down and wanting to play with our kids. If you know of someone who lost a parakeet, please have them email Mr. Cassidy.    We found the bird a good home, but also want to see if someone lost their pet.     This goes into the category of things we don’t expect to encounter :)

Camp Write Up

Our 8th grade trip to Camp Pendaluoan was a huge success.  Please check out some of the photos posted on the HMS facebook page.    We will be looking for ways to raise money for next year’s 8th grade class to have a similar experience.  If you know of anyone who would like to sponsor this great experience or have an idea for a fundraiser, please contact Mr. Cassidy.  

Dessert Auction and Spaghetti Dinner/November 19th 

This fall we will have our second Dessert Auction/Spaghetti Dinner!  Last year the funds went to help HMS get a 3D printer, and this year the funds raised will be used to help get our new greenhouse some needed equipment (a larger ventilation fan/long-lasting plastic covering).  If you would be willing to help, please take time to fill out the form below. If you have questions, please feel free to contact Mr. Boerman.

Dessert Auction/Spaghetti Dinner Help!

Shout Outs

Each week Mr. Cassidy sends an email out to teachers called the “Holla”.  It is an email consisting of anonymous compliments and praise that staff shares with each other regarding their team going above and beyond for others.  If you would like to share a positive message with a staff member and have it included in this weekly message, please email it to Mr. Cassidy.  You will be copied on the “Holla” on Friday.  -- 

Nick Cassidy

Principal

Holland Middle School

616-494-2425

Weekly Update sent to Parents:

All 8th graders will be attending camp on Wednesday (Sept. 4) or Thursday (Sept. 5) this week. PLEASE BE SURE YOUR 8TH GRADERS PERMISSION FORMS ARE TURNED IN!!!
All students have been given a handout that informs them of the day they will attend. The handout also has reminders for students to keep in mind for their day of camp. If you have questions about camp, please email Mr. Cassidy. Help your child to remember to be prepared for this experience.

8th Grade Camp Reminders...

• Students should be prepared for the weather!!! (cold/hot/wet/sunny)
• Wear clothes and shoes that can get dirty or wet - they will!
• Bring a sack lunch
• Bring a backpack with extra clothes for the weather
• Bring water bottles
• Bring non aerosol bug spray
• Leave your phone at home!!!
• Wear your name tag visibly with group #
• Camp times to remember...
• The camp bus will leave HMS in the morning promptly at 7:30am
• Make sure someone is available to pick up your child at HMS at 9:00pm on the day of camp

Important Dates-

• Wednesday, September 4th- ½ of 8th graders go to Camp Pendaluan
• Thursday, September 5th- ½ of 8th graders go to Camp Pendaluan
• Thursday, September 12th- 6:00-8:00pm- Protect Young Eyes (details below)

Schedules-

While all students have schedules, some student schedules may change as we work on “balancing” classes as much as possible. We have a few sections that are extremely full and others that have less than 20 students. We will do everything we can to keep students with the same teachers if they have to change classes, but in some cases that isn’t possible.

Technology-

Holland Middle School has made some adjustments on how we are distributing and assigning Chromebooks. To begin the year, only students in our Project Based Learning, Two Way Bilingual Immersion, PATH, or Online learning programs will be issued computers to take home. 8th grade students will be issued computers later this fall, or 2nd semester.

Protect Young Eyes -September 12 6:00-8:00

Protect Young Eyes will be returning September 12 from 6:00-8:00 to talk to parents about technology use, social media, and the problems this is causing for our kids. Parents will be provided much helpful information as well as information on how to keep your kids safe online, set boundaries, monitor their digital presence, etc. Of all of the issues parents bring to the administrators at HMS, a majority of them have to deal with issues that have originated online. If there is one parent event that you attend this year, this is it!. There will be hundreds of dollars of resources given away at this event including books, 2 free routers, and dinner. Please make sure you register by going to the link below. Space is limited so make sure that you are able to secure your free seat!
RSVP at eventbrite, or visit the facebook event link.

From the health office:

We have a new school nurse this year and her name is Emily Byl. Emily is very excited to start helping students with their health needs as well as our families with any questions or concerns regarding your child’s health. On that note, if your student has any health conditions that require medication or other treatments during school hours, please contact Nurse Emily by calling the school office. These may include life threatening allergies, asthma, migraine headaches, seizures, etc. There are forms available in the front office if your child should need medications at school.
For the safety of all of our students, please do not send in ANY medication to school with your child. This includes all prescribed medication from your doctor as well as over the counter medication such as pain relievers, cold medicine, cough drops, inhalers, nose sprays or medications applied to the skin. Michigan law requires a form to be completed and signed by both the parent and the physician for student to have medication administered at school by a staff member. Permission forms are available in the front office if your child needs medication at school.
Here is to a healthy and happy new school year!

Shout Outs-

Each week Mr. Cassidy sends an email out to teachers called the “Holla”. It is an email consisting of anonymous compliments and praise that staff shares with each other regarding their team going above and beyond for others. If you would like to share a positive message with a staff member and have it included in this weekly message, please email it to Mr. Cassidy. You will be copied on the “Holla” on Friday.

Nick Cassidy

Principal

Holland Middle School

616-494-2425

It was a very smooth first few days at HMS. While we have two shorter weeks ahead of us, there is much going on.

Important Dates-

• Friday, August 30th- No School
• Monday, September 2nd- No School
• Wednesday, September 4th- ½ of 8th graders go to Camp Pendaluan
• Thursday, September 5th- ½ of 8th graders go to Camp Pendaluan
• Thursday, September 12th- 6:00-8:00pm- Protect Young Eyes (details below)

Schedules-

While all students have schedules, some student schedules may change as we work on “balancing” classes as much as possible. We have a few sections are extremely full and others that less than 20 students. We will do everything we can to keep students with the same teachers if they have to change classes, but in some cases that isn’t possible.

Lockers-

All students were given the opportunity to get a locker during lunch on Friday. On Monday, any students who have been having problems opening their locker will be given assistance or assigned a new locker.

ID Badges-

Students who attended the registration days were able to get their picture taken for their student IDs . These ID badges were passed out to students during lunch on the first day of school. Students who were not able to attend registration days will be able to get their picture taken on re-take day which is scheduled for September 30th. It is important that students keep their ID badges as this is how they pay for their lunches. Replacement badges are $3.

Planners-

All students were issued a planner on the first day of school. These planners will be valuable tools for students to keep track of their homework, keep a calendar, access the school handbook, and to use as a hallway pass. Students will be asked to keep this with them at school at all times. As parents, this is a great way for you to keep up-to-date on what they are learning in their classes.

Technology-

Holland Middle School has made some adjustments on how we are distributing and assigning Chromebooks. To begin the year, only students in our Project Based Learning, Two Way Bilingual Immersion, PATH, or Online learning programs will be issued computers to take home. 8th grade students will be issued computers later this fall, or 2nd semester.

Protect Young Eyes -September 12 6:00-8:00

Protect Young Eyes will be returning September 12 from 6:00-8:00 to talk to parents about technology use, social media, and the problems this is causing for our kids. Parents will be provided much helpful information as well as information on how to keep your kids safe online, set boundaries, monitor their digital presence, etc. Of all of the issues parents bring to the administrators at HMS, a majority of them have to deal with issues that have originated online. If there is one parent event that you attend this year, this is it!. There will be hundreds of dollars of resources given away at this event including books, 2 free routers, and dinner. Please make sure you register by going to the link below. Space is limited so make sure that you are able to secure your free seat!
RSVP at eventbrite, or visit the facebook event link.

8th Grade Camp-

All 8th graders will be going to Leadership Training at Camp Pendaluan. This is an extremely important step in making sure that all of our 8th graders are ready to be leaders in the school and in their school “families”. All students have been given the field trip forms. Please be sure to turn them in this week. The cost of camp is $20. If you need more time to come up with the $20, just have your child turn in the form and pay at a later date. If you need help with a scholarship or have questions about camp, please email Mr. Cassidy.

Microwaves-

During the painting and carpet updates we seem to have lost a couple of our microwaves for students to use during lunch. If you have an extra microwave that you would like to donate, please feel free to drop it off to the front office.

Shout Outs-

Each week Mr. Cassidy sends an email out to teachers called the “Holla”. It is an email consisting of anonymous compliments and praise that staff shares with each other regarding their team going above and beyond for others. If you would like to share a positive message with a staff member and have it included in this weekly message, please email it to Mr. Cassidy. You will be copied on the “Holla” on Friday.

Nick Cassidy

Principal

Holland Middle School

616-494-2425

Welcome back to another great year at HMS!    From this point on, you will receive a Weekly Update every Sunday.   This will be emailed, posted on the HMS Facebook page, and posted on the HMS website.   

Registration Days

   Be sure to take advantage of the two remaining registration days as this will greatly expedite your Open House visit.  During registration days you will be able to get your schedule, get a locker, complete lunch applications, pay fees (if needed), take school pictures, and get a school ID.

Wednesday, August 14th-   8:00am-3:00pm

Monday, August 19th-   11:00am- 3:00pm

Open House-   

August 19th- 5:00pm-7:00pm

   Please plan on attending either of the presentations in the Cafeteria at 5:30 or 6:30.    This presentation will introduce you to some of the office staff, talk about the mission and vision of the school, and provide some important updates about the direction of HMS.  

New Start Time-

Just a reminder that classes will begin at 7:30 this year ( 5 minutes earlier than last year).   Breakfast will be served from 7:00am-7:25am.  

8th Grade Field Trip- 

8th graders will be participating in leadership camp on September 4th and 5th.   Please be sure to get the information during Open House, fill out the permission slip, and pay the $20 fee for students to take advantage of this great opportunity.   

Welcome to Officer Sok-

HMS is excited to announce that Officer Adam Sokolove will be at HMS full-time for the 2019-20 school year.   Officer Sok will be working with different mentoring programs, extending on the experiences of the HPD Junior Police Academy, be a consistent presence, help with traffic before and after school, and build relationships with our students and families.   

Nursing Change-

Nurse Lisa Gort as accepted a new position with Holland Hospital and HPS as the School Mental Health Care Manager  She will still be working with our students, but in a different capacity. Nurse Emily Byl will be our new HMS Nurse and will be working with Nurse Gort through Labor Day as a transitional period.   

Please remember to notify the school nurse if your child has any health conditions or need for medications at school.     Nurse Byl and Nurse Gort will be at the Open House. You can also contact Nurse Byl  or call 616- 494-2574.