Thursday, December 22, 2016

Dear Families in the Middle,

We hope you are anticipating family, food, flannel and fun (our family would add five hundred, the card game) over the winter break next week! My husband reminded me today was the Winter Solstice and the daylight would gradually lengthen. Yay! Daylight is a source of energy for me.

Thank you for your patience, understanding, suggestions, support and sense of humor through our efforts to provide a safe and smooth traffic flow around HMS each morning and afternoon. We know the flow wasn't good BEFORE construction, and we're hopeful for continuous improvement as we make changes. Please DO NOT PARK in the south lot nearest the building. These spaces must be reserved for specific vehicles (School Resource Officer and handicapped, for example). Thank you for following guides at intersections to provide safe and quick traffic flow.

Whether you have a sixth grader learning about a bear's need for enrichment, a seventh grader learning about Islam, or an eighth grader learning about slope, we hope you're seeing progress in their thinking, speaking, writing and reading skills. Your questions and interest in their learning fuels progress!

We know this can be both a stressful and highly spirited time of year for all. Many families have shared kindnesses this past week - treats, candies, cookies, nuts, fruit. We are so grateful for your generous gifts. Most significantly, we are thankful for your kind words. Every person contributes to the positive learning community we enjoy here at HMS!

Warmly,
Ann


Tuesday, December 13, 2016

Dear Families in the Middle,

We have a Science Olympiad Team, advised by Mr. Anderson (8th grade science), in their second year of competition. They competed in the Regional meet in Boyceville this past weekend and represented Hudson Middle School well! Last year our team won two medals; this year they brought home a whopping 22 medals! Watch for a story in the Hudson Star Observer in the coming weeks!

Construction activity is in full swing at HMS, despite the colder temperatures. We are grateful for the stamina and strength of these workers as they dig, drill, pour and fill the footings and foundations. Hudson Prairie Kindergartners occasionally visit our Media Center for a close-up look at the construction. Following their visit, they write a sentence about the progress and changes they see in each visit.


In anticipation of some MAJOR equipment and materials on our HMS site, please note a change in our parking and traffic on the south and west sides of our school. We strongly encourage all families to make use of the Safeway Bus Transportation OR to carpool during this busy construction time. There will be very limited access to the south parking lot and parent pick-up and drop-off will be limited to ONE LANE on the LEFT side of the west drive. Please be alert, patient and safe!

Congratulations to our Hudson Middle School creative students for their recognized artwork in the Stop Drugs Calendar Program, sponsored by the St. Croix County Sheriff's office: Trista Oberle was the overall grand prize winner ($250) and Maddi Gillen was a 7th Grade winner.

Some of you may be aware of a Yankee Candle recall. Fortunately, our HMS fundraiser catalog did not include the item on recall. Here's a link to the article in case you know of someone who may have shopped online and purchased the item.

As you anticipate the winter break here in Hudson, we want you to know the YMCA will be open EVERY DAY! Activities and snacks are available and the linked flyer provides more details.

Thursday, December 8, 2016

Dear Families in the Middle,

Recognizing December brings all kinds of positive and negative stressors to our lives, we want to encourage you to seek out moments for peace and appreciation. This morning's professional learning for our teaching team focused on finding, creating and sustaining balance in our lives as we engage in this very important people profession. Whether you find balance in meditation, time with family, a visit with a friend, exercise, creating and crafting...to care for others, we know it is important to attend to care of self.

Special thanks to Elizabeth Sommers, Molly Powers, and several parent helpers and HMS ambassadors who worked together to sort and distribute Yankee Candle fundraiser items yesterday. We are so grateful, not only for the generous gift of time and energy to this fundraiser, but also for the many opportunities the parent group funds afford to our students. Most specifically, those funds provide bus transportation for field trip experiences at all three grade levels (For example: MN Zoo, Guthrie, Hudson's History Walk), House supplies, and support for families unable to afford the cost of a field trip experience admission.

When you come to the HMS site, you may notice several additional trucks, more equipment, and increased activity this week. We are anticipating the arrival of pre-fabricated walls to frame the two-story addition later this month. Please be very alert to parking lot access changes during this busy construction time.

In this time of cell phones and immediate connectivity, please help us ensure the safety of your child by encouraging him / her to check in at the health office when he/she is not feeling well, rather than to only text a parent. This helps us help you by allowing us to check symptoms, offer support, and ensure teachers know where students are at all times. Thank you for partnering with us on this important safety concern.

Attending music concerts is one of the ways I find balance in my life. Music provides peaceful, rhythmic inspiration for me. I hope you have enjoyed a band, choir or orchestra concert this season!

Warmly,

Ann

Wednesday, November 30, 2016

Dear Families in the Middle,

This week, I shared a brief article with our Hudson Middle School staff called Milestones of Caring. There were several insights I gained from reading what the authors had to say about the importance of developing a strong "ethos" of caring in these middle years.

* A successful middle level education depends on building successful, empathetic relationships among ALL members of the learning community.
* A focus on CARING helps us transform indifference, ignorance, and disdain into curiosity, interconnectedness, and conceptual understanding.
* The impact of CARING is powerful enough to turn mere superficial platitudes into ambitious action and genuine concern for multiple perspectives.
* An "expansion of caring" is critical during unstable, emergent and ever-shifting developmental stages and begins with "bold and ambitious questions," and does not come in predictable, organized or even intentional bursts, but often arrives with serendipitous and chaotic surprise in our lives.
* A sense of caring disrupts our certainty and our complacency and grows from "intentional reflection" on an experience, an observation, an event, an interchange, or an idea.

The authors suggest we adults contemplate how we became caring people. What memories evoke recollections of caring for us? As parents and educators, we take on many roles - trailblazers, advocates, teammates, questioners, visionaries, guides, and inspirers. "Critical" and courageous conversations in these roles, where we listen to others, process and consider ideas different from our own, and acknowledge our biases and assumptions help us and the children with whom we work develop the strong sense of CARE critical to our HMS Mission:

HMS Learners understand, challenge and support each other to be caring, capable and creative contributors.

Special thanks to our parent chaperones for our sixth grade MN Zoo trips this past week. While visiting the bear exhibit with students, one of the chaperones shared a MN Zoo volunteer asked that she relay back to our Hudson Middle School learning community what a GREAT group of kids we have! She said staff and volunteers noticed how respectful and kind they were during their visit to the zoo. Thank you to our students, staff and families for leaving such a positive impression!

With a grateful heart,

Mrs. Ann Mitchell




Thursday, November 17, 2016

Dear Families in the Middle,

Thankful for students and staff who take risks, lead by example, and look for opportunities! Read on for HMS examples...

We honored 18 students - six from each grade - for leading others in the Habit of Mind: Questioning and Posing Problems! This is one of my favorite Habits of Mind because I believe authentic curiosity opens minds AND hearts to new ways of thinking, alternate perspectives, and a revised view of the world. In my experience, people who are unafraid to ask questions and pose challenges are also ready to seek new learning and change in life. If we're going to solve problems in our world, these folks are the ones who will help us get started! Kudos to these students for showing the rest of us how to question thoughtfully and pose problems to help us clarify, explore, and make sense of life!

Thank you to our Parents - You're going to want to join our November 21 Parent Group Network Meeting Monday evening at 6:30 P.M. Seventh grade teachers, Mrs. Swanson and Ms. Rolstad and a few seventh grade students will share a couple of innovative and engaging teaching and learning ideas in action at HMS! A status report of our fall fundraiser will also be shared.

Thankful for our Veterans - for their generous gift of time, service and skill to safeguard our freedom. Special thanks to 38 veterans who took time last Friday to visit with our students and respond to interview questions about their experience in the military. We were honored by your presence among us!

Thank you to our Construction Crew: The space between our offices and the gymnasium looks much larger now that work has begun to remove the storm drain and prepare for footings and foundations. Students have also been busy imagining and researching ideas for furnishing the new and existing spaces in ways supportive of collaboration and personal learning needs. Here are a couple of examples from Ms. Mueller's Health Class, after hearing an article, "Sitting is the new Smoking!" Student Ideas: Evgenia Roth, Gabriel Stolz


Wednesday, November 9, 2016

Dear Families in the Middle,

Here in the middle, we recognize the communication dynamic between parent and child changes a bit. Between the extremes of NOT talking and talking all the time is that wonderful place of meaningful conversation between parent and child. I recently read an article with fabulous suggestions for questions and reminders for those conversations we long to have with our child. Here are a few questions the author suggests to replace "How was school today?"

  1. Tell me about a moment today when you felt excited about what you were learning.
  2. Think about what you learned and did in school today. What’s something you’d like to know more about? What’s a question you have that came from your learning today?
  3. Tell me about a moment when you felt care and respect from a classmate or teacher. 
  4. Tell me about an enjoyable conversation you had with someone. 
  5. What was challenging about your day?
  6. What do you appreciate about your day?
  7. What did you learn about yourself today?
  8. What are you looking forward to tomorrow?
  9. What question do you wish I’d ask you about your day?

Tips for Asking Questions

According to the author of the article, "how and when we ask these questions makes a big difference in the information we receive from our kids. First, you don’t want to ask all of these questions on the same day. You might ask one or two. After a while, you’ll figure out which ones elicit the most meaningful responses. You’ll want to ask during a time when you have the ability to focus so that your child feels they have your full attention." Dinner and driving in the car are optimal times for these conversations.

More Suggestions

To help keep conversations positive and powerful:
  • Don’t interrupt. This is a good rule for any conversation, but especially if you want to get a lot of information from someone.
  • Ask for more. Simply say, “I’d love to hear more about that...” Or, “Can you expand on that a little?”
  • Ask about feelings. After a child describes an experience, ask, “How did you feel in that moment? What did you notice about your feelings?”
  • Validate feelings. Whatever your kid feels is normal and okay. Let them know that. Feelings are okay. Talk about how to express those feelings in ways that help others know how to help. 
  • Thank them for sharing with you. Always appreciate their honesty and willingness to share the highlights and bright spots, as well as the difficult moments. This will fuel their confidence in telling you more.
Source: Elena Aguilar, 15 Questions to replace "How was school today?,Edutopia, October 27, 2016. 

On a related note...thank you for the many ways you model, teach and re-teach kindness and respectfulness in moments of disappointment, stress and frustration. Staying calm, asking questions and listening attentively helps us understand another perspective and respond thoughtfully. 

Gratefully,
Ann 

Friday, November 4, 2016

Dear Families in the Middle,

The beautiful weather makes the realization that it's November even more perplexing! How quickly the autumn days pass on the calendar, and yet how slowly the warm and sunny autumn days are leaving us (thankfully!).

During the month of November we are grateful for many opportunities:
* Construction begins on our two story addition of twelve classrooms and an additional gymnasium. Please be watchful of the signs and safety regulations on our school grounds.

* A Team of 20 of us traveled to Chaska Middle School East (Eastern Carver County School District) to observe a personalized learning environment, learn from educators, and interview students about the approach.

* Next Friday, November 11th, is Veterans' Day. We will be honoring our veterans with a special ceremony (7th and 8th grade) in our gymnasium at 9 AM. Following the ceremony, veterans will be sharing their stories and journeys with students in smaller advisory groups in each house (6th, 7th and 8th grade) during 4th hour (10 - 10:40). Students have prepared questions for these special interviews. We look forward to honoring and learning from our veterans.

Sincerely,

Ann


Thursday, October 27, 2016

Dear Families in the Middle,

We are anticipating celebrating Veterans Day with our students on Friday, November 11.
Please use this link to share with us a veteran you and your family may know who would be willing to spend a little time at Hudson Middle School talking to a group of students about their service and responding to a few questions students may have about a career in the military. More details are provided in the linked letter.

We are anticipating our second Boys in the Boat small group discussion tomorrow, Friday, October 28 in a special 10th hour (2:04 - 2:37). Many thanks to our planning committee of several educators who share creative ways to learn from this important story each month! If you are willing and able to serve as a Guest Reader (reading a chapter or two during a class) over the next month, please use this link to let us know!

Many of our Middle School families - students and staff - are experiencing struggle and sadness in their lives. I often think about the importance of being present "in the middle" of storms and struggles to support and walk with people through the challenges. Thank you for the many ways each of you reach out to help another. Your kindness does not go unnoticed and helps lift the spirits of our entire community by the example you set. Our counselors have a sign near their doors:

Be kind. Always. Everyone we meet is fighting a battle we know nothing about. 

When autumn arrives, I think about the difficulty of letting go...of old habits, old ways of thinking, old emotions. May you trust in what's to come as you let go and "winterize" yourself.

Hope to see many of our students (in costume) at the dance Friday night, sponsored by our HMS Student Council, 6-8 PM. Bring a food shelf item to share!

Warmly,

Ann

Monday, October 24, 2016

Dear Families in the Middle,

This morning several girls in 6th, 7th and 8th grade were able to participate in a Girls in STEM & Manufacturing Breakfast, thanks to a collaborative effort of several folks! Sponsored and funded by the The Wisconsin Womens Council, the event was planned and coordinated by Ms. Melisa Hanson, Hudson School District Career & Technical Education Coordinator, Jodie Bray, Engineering and Technology Teacher here at HMS, and many women in the manufacturing industry. Students had the opportunity to work in teams to create a useable tool from recyclable materials, weld virtually and manually, use a laser and metal bit engraver, and a robotic arm. Breakfast was prepared and served by our Family & Consumer Science students. Lieutenant Governor Kleefisch, a mother of two middle school girls, shared the message, "We're investing in you. Invest in yourself and apply your learning. You are Wisconsin's future and we're counting on you!"

For photos of the STEM event and to see more great things happening at HMS every day (Thanks to Mr. Brian Nadeau, our Dean of Students), please follow HMS on Twitter by using @hudsonmiddlewi! 

We hope to see many of you at our FALL PARENT SEMINAR Tuesday evening, October 25, 6:30 - 8 PM. Back by popular demand, Alison Feigh will provide all of us (including students) with tips and strategies to safeguard our online footprint. We'll be meeting in the Multi-Purpose Room, so parking in the north lot (near Prairie Elementary) is probably best for this evening seminar. 

In case you missed the website photo of our Groundbreaking last week, Tuesday, October 18, these are a few of our Student Leaders on the Learning Space Team. Several were able to meet with Bray Architects Tuesday morning to learn more about their careers.  
Bryce Meyer, John Boily, Marissa Brown, Annika Lautenbach, Will Aschenbrenner,
Ryleigh White, Jenny Lund, Kristin Denny, Mira Lenzen
We are very grateful for the strong and positive community support for quality education and for expanding and strengthening our middle school House concept with the addition of learning space. The construction process will be a learning experience for so many of our students and staff! Opportunities to re-establish green space and a garden area east of the track near the pavilion, for re-thinking our use of space, color, and lighting and their impact on learning, and for innovating in our instructional practices will enhance this learning community!
Warmly,
Mrs. Ann Mitchell











Thursday, October 13, 2016



Dear Families in the Middle,

Fall Student-Parent-Teacher conferences are such a wonderful opportunity to visit with you about your child's learning progress, strategies we can collaboratively use to support each child through moments of frustration, and to share stories that make us laugh and cry. Please call our office and talk to Cheryl or Terri or Kelly for assistance in scheduling your child's conferences. 

Many thanks to our parent group for a delicious meal before conferences! Sandwich fixings, salads, soup, fruits and vegetables, chips, salsa and sweet treats provided a joyful atmosphere around which to visit with each other for a few minutes before the evening began. A video may have more vividly conveyed the immense appreciation for your kindness! THANK YOU!!

We hope you enjoyed the "mini mall" during conferences. Between our Book Fair, our Yankee Candle Fundraiser and several entrepreneurial student products - yes, I hear these items will be available during next week's conferences as well - there is something for everyone!

An opportunity to meet the architects and learn more about our HMS building addition happens next Tuesday evening, October 18 at 6 PM with a community update to follow. HMS Student Ambassadors and Staff and Student Learning Space Team members as well as our district leaders will be present for a "Groundbreaking" ceremony. Please join us! 

Please mark your calendars for our FALL PARENT SEMINAR! Tuesday, October 25, 6:30 - 8 PM, Middle School Multi-Purpose Room. Alison Feigh is returning to Hudson for a highly touted message regarding online security. Alison will share practical ways parents can support responsible and thoughtful use of tech tools and social media. 

We know many of you (and we) have been challenged with the introduction of new technology, platforms, and communication tools. We are striving to align our communication to make it easier for families to see, hear, and learn about their child's Middle School learning experiences.

While we work with students to update the House Communication tab on this blog with the most effective way to find information, support student learning, and communicate with your child's teachers, we think this guide might help you navigate and find teachers and their web pages in our Hudson Middle School Learning Community.  At the present, every House is not using the same system. However, we are moving in that direction and hope to be there before the end of next year. Thank you for your patience and perseverance and positive suggestions as we navigate these new systems and identify a platform most of our families will find easier to navigate. Here's another basic introduction to finding staff and their classroom information from our website.

Happy autumn!

Ann






Wednesday, October 5, 2016

Dear Families in the Middle,

Recently, our Hudson Middle School leadership team was made aware of FREE opportunities our local YMCA provides for students after school. Please consider checking out these links for more information:
YMCA website
YMCA Facebook
We are eager to partner with the Y to support our students developing leadership skills!

Speaking of students developing leadership skills...thank you for partnering with us to remind your son and/or daughter of the importance of their role in difficult situations. To ensure everyone in our learning community experiences safety, respectfulness and responsibility at all times, these talking points might be helpful in your conversation.

* Our HMS Vision Focus for the year is to know ourselves and each other as learners and people; Raider Pride and The Raider Way includes being welcoming and inclusive as we strive to understand each other. Who has your son or daughter met so far this year and what did they learn about them?

* Sometimes we need to remind ourselves and be reminded of more effective ways to respond to difficult situations. For example, when a friend makes a negative choice, what we all learned at the elementary level still applies at the middle level: 1) Stop! (hold your hand out with your palm open),
2) Walk away from the situation (to think, to calm down, and to get help), and 3) TALK - to an adult who can help you think it through and respond respectfully.

* When your child talks about something that happened at school and you are concerned, please speak directly to the adult closest to the situation (your child's Advisor or Teacher, the Dean of Students, a Counselor or an Administrator). We strive to communicate with families, to respond to situations thoughtfully, and to be respectful in all of our interactions. When you hear something that raises questions in your mind, please contact us.

On a related note, the "creepy clown" reports and rumors circulating around our country are cause for concern. The most significant concern is for the safety of our families. Please review these safety tips with your child:
* Walk in groups; do not walk alone
* When a stranger approaches you, quickly walk away and find a trusted adult
* Stay in the area you are expected to be (at school, at home, with a coach or advisor)
Another concern is the legitimacy of the reports and rumors. Please remind your child to ask questions, focus on facts, and talk to a trusted adult about rumors.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Ann Mitchell



Monday, October 3, 2016

Dear Families in the Middle,

We are looking forward to visiting with you about your child's progress in learning!
Please call us if you need assistance signing up for a conference time with your child's Advisor. Students are ALWAYS welcome to join the conversation!

OCTOBER 2016 -- MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENT / PARENT/TEACHER CONFERENCES


Student/ Parent/Teacher Conferences for the Hudson Middle School will be held Thursday, October 13 from 4:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. and Thursday, October 20 from 4:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.  Hudson Middle School Faculty will be scheduling Student/Parent/Advisory Teacher conferences online through Family Access.  Parents/Guardians will meet with their child’s Advisory teacher to discuss academic progress in the core courses and address general questions and/or concerns.  Exploratory and elective teachers will also be available for scheduled conferences.  If you do not know your Family Access login and/or password, please contact our office at 715-377-3820.  Physical Education, Health, and Traveling teachers will not be individually scheduled ahead of time, but will be available during conferences on a first come, first serve basis.  Physical Education and Health teachers will be available in the Multi-Purpose room.  Traveling teachers will be available in the Media Center.  Music teachers will be available in the Music Department.  Please schedule your conference by Tuesday, October 11.

Directions for using Skyward Family Access to schedule conferences.


The following schedule is for teachers who are assigned part-time to Hudson Middle School.


Present Thursday, October 13 only Present Thursday, October 20 only
Lori Lacey - Orchestra Lessons (6 pm - 8 pm) Bethany Bakken - German 8
Corey O’Keefe - Adaptive PE Paul Krasin - Band Lessons (5 pm - 7:30 pm)
Ryan Pagenkopf - Business Ed 8 Jessica Slaikeu - World Studies 6
Trevor Peck - World Studies 7 Liya Wegner - Mandarin Chinese
Jaclyn Gundersen - PE 7

Wednesday, September 21, 2016

Dear Families in the Middle,

Good news! Hudson Middle School is getting ready to begin constructing the classroom and gymnasium addition on the south side of the school. A construction zone and safety barriers will begin appearing on the site beginning Monday, September 26, 2016. 

What does this mean for families, staff and community coming to the site?
  • The parking lot immediately outside the Middle School Office on the south side of the school will be closed beginning September 26th.
  • Visitor parking will be available along the current bus lane on the west side of the school except during the following time periods
    • 6:30-8:00 AM No Parking
    • 2:00-3:00 PM No Parking  
  • Access to the gated driveway along the south side of the school and along the east side will be closed.
  • Access to the east side pool entrance will be closed.
  • An alternate field and bleacher entrance will be created on the south west corner of the field.

Hudson Middle School Groundbreaking – Tuesday, October 18 at 6:00 PM
Please join our groundbreaking celebration on the south side of the Middle School site.

Community Information Meeting – Tuesday, October 18 at 7:00 PM
Following the groundbreaking celebration, a Community Information Meeting will be held in the Middle School Multipurpose Room. This community meeting will include a presentation on both the Middle School and High School projects. Representatives from Bray Architects, Kraus Anderson construction managers, and school district administration will be available to answer questions. 


Mrs. Ann Mitchell

Thursday, September 15, 2016

Dear Families in the MIddle,

In the middle of the middle of September, we have a couple of invitations to share with you! 

Please mark your calendars for our Parent Chromebook Orientation Monday, September 19, 5:30 PM in the Media Center. John Kurkowski, Steve Schoeneker (Instructional Technology Coaches) and Jen Lotze (District Technology Coordinator) will share information to help you navigate use of the Chromebook, Google Classroom, School Blocks and our district website to support your child's learning at the middle level. ALL grade level parents are welcome! Our first fall Parent Group Network meeting follows at 6:30 PM, also in the Media Center. 

As a Learning Community, we are focusing on Knowing ourselves AND each other as learners. Asking thoughtful questions is one way to learn more about each other. Check out this blog post link for a terrific family KEY JAR idea! Please consider posting a question you've included in your family jar for others to try as well! 

TECHNOLOGY Council - Our district is changing the structure of the technology council. There will actually be two groups - a smaller group including one parent representative from each building, a teacher from each level, and administrative representation. This group will meet three times each year and will help to develop the agenda for the TILT meeting. The TILT (Technology Integration Leadership Team) will function as the tech council previously has, but will only consist of Hudson staff members. As we build the new Tech Council group, please use this link: Tech Council Application if you think you might be interested in representing our building as a middle school parent. The form will close on Friday, September 16. Ms. Jennifer lotze, District Technology Coordinator, will notify applicants when decisions are made.

We are in need of a Lifeguard at Hudson Middle School during the school day:
 7 hours / day 150 days / year
Please share and use this WECAN link to apply.

Lastly, we want to share with you a few reminders we shared with staff last week as we begin another school year: 

*Please review the cell phone and Personal Device Use guidelines for yourself and with your child Click Here
*Gum chewing by students is at the discretion of each teacher
*Water bottles are allowed and should be clear.
*A Chromebook advisory activity is required for all students to become familiar with the student and family handbook. Students will sign a form indicating their understanding of the information in the student family handbook by Friday, September 23. 

Thank you for your attentiveness to these reminders. We appreciate your questions and positive support of student learning! 

Sincerely,

Mrs. Ann Mitchell

Dear Families in the MIddle,

In the middle of the middle of September, we have a couple of invitations to share with you! 

Please mark your calendars for our Parent Chromebook Orientation Monday, September 19, 5:30 PM in the Media Center. John Kurkowski, Steve Schoeneker (Instructional Technology Coaches) and Jen Lotze (District Technology Coordinator) will share information to help you navigate use of the Chromebook, Google Classroom, School Blocks and our district website to support your child's learning at the middle level. ALL grade level parents are welcome! Our first fall Parent Group Network meeting follows at 6:30 PM, also in the Media Center. 

As a Learning Community, we are focusing on Knowing ourselves AND each other as learners. Asking thoughtful questions is one way to learn more about each other. Check out this blog post link for a terrific family KEY JAR idea! Please consider posting a question you've included in your family jar for others to try as well! 

TECHNOLOGY Council - Our district is changing the structure of the technology council. There will actually be two groups - a smaller group including one parent representative from each building, a teacher from each level, and administrative representation. This group will meet three times each year and will help to develop the agenda for the TILT meeting. The TILT (Technology Integration Leadership Team) will function as the tech council previously has, but will only consist of Hudson staff members. As we build the new Tech Council group, please use this link: Tech Council Application if you think you might be interested in representing our building as a middle school parent. The form will close on Friday, September 16. Ms. Jennifer lotze, District Technology Coordinator, will notify applicants when decisions are made.

We are in need of a Lifeguard at Hudson Middle School during the school day:
 7 hours / day 150 days / year
Please share and use this WECAN link to apply.

Lastly, we want to share with you a few reminders we shared with staff last week as we begin another school year: 

*Please review the cell phone and Personal Device Use guidelines for yourself and with your child Click Here
*Gum chewing by students is at the discretion of each teacher
*Water bottles are allowed and should be clear.
*A Chromebook advisory activity is required for all students to become familiar with the student and family handbook. Students will sign a form indicating their understanding of the information in the student family handbook by Friday, September 23. 

Thank you for your attentiveness to these reminders. We appreciate your questions and positive support of student learning! 

Sincerely,

Mrs. Ann Mitchell

Wednesday, September 7, 2016

Dear Families in the Middle,

Please forgive my oversight in not sharing more information about our Middle School Open House earlier! Our Middle School September Open House has a very similar purpose as the Elementary Meet Your Teacher evening. It is an opportunity for your child to show YOU around their middle-level learning community and also an opportunity for you to personally meet each of your child's teachers and for your child's teachers to meet you. We so enjoyed the brief chats and visit last evening with several families! Your questions, feedback and suggestions help us in our efforts to live out the Raider Way at Hudson Middle School! The Raider Way is Welcoming, Student - Centered, Transforming, and a Culture of Excellence.

Please note the following additional opportunity to "hang out" in our Middle Learning Community, connect with other parents, and ask questions:
* Monday, September 19 - Parent Chromebook Orientation - 5:30 PM (Media Center)
                      Hudson Middle School Parent Group Network - 6:30 PM (Media Center)

Thanks to one of our Middle School families, you may find value in this link regarding Instagram
http://howdoesshe.com/5-alarming-things-know-instagram/
Instagram is the online photo-sharing arguably at the top of the social media empire. It is owned by Facebook and is a fantastic place to post interesting photos that illustrate your life---like a daily visual journal! On Instagram, you can find drool-worthy food shots, artsy-type photos, and fun pictures of your friends and family. We love Instagram! But sadly, there are people out there who try to corrupt a good thing.

Each week, I plan to feature a student or two I've learned something about. Today, I had the pleasure of meeting Will Golden, a seventh grader. Will has already thought about his 8th grade electives, his plan after graduating from high school, and even his plan after retirement! I am amazed at his kindness (he sat down with me after all students had left the lunchroom), his communication skills, and his thoughtfulness. Will and I agreed, "Life is full of connections between ideas, people, and places!" 

Chase James, a sixth grader here at HMS, shared his short research and slides on "black holes." I had very little knowledge of that phenomenon and Chase indicated he first developed an interest in black holes from his second and third grade teachers. "They let us choose what we wanted to learn about in science," he said. Kudos to Mr. Sahli (Houlton) and Ms. Swanson (EPRock) for fostering Chase's love of science! 

Sophia Nault, another sixth grader, did a bit of research on Habits of Mind. She has also applied to serve in a Student Leadership role. So proud of the positive risks our students are taking in-the-middle! 

Construction Update: Please anticipate the parking lot closest to the south entrance (near the main office) closing September 26. Staff and visitors can park in the south-south parking lot (near the fields) and along the sidewalk (NOT during bus times). The south lot near the building will be used for construction deliveries. Thank you for anticipating this change! 

Enjoying the start of a positively hope-filled year,
Mrs. Ann Mitchell




Thursday, September 1, 2016

Dear Families in the Middle,

Based on my observations in several classrooms throughout the day, I'm thinking your 6th, 7th or 8th grader came home yesterday with a combination of exhaustion and excitement for the year ahead. I enjoyed watching the embraces as students reconnected, the joy as students teamed up in games, and the opportunity to learn something about each person I visited with throughout the day.

We are welcoming MANY new students and families to Hudson Middle School this week. Please encourage your middle schooler to keep an eye out for the loner, the anxious and nervous, and the child who is joining a community that may appear to have friendships already established. It takes a village to make sure each person feels comfortable, cared for and needed.

A small group of staff members were visiting for a few minutes during the day and all of us noted an unusually high level of consideration among our students today! From frequent and sincere "Thank You's", to unprompted "Excuse me...I'm sorry," to quick and positive responses of "How are YOU?" we have been impressed with the positive leadership and kindness among our students! Talk about Raider Pride!

Monday evening provided my daughter's and I a little insight about a source of that kindness. Megan and Libbie stopped by the middle school to help me haul 14 - 8 foot boards from the ballfields (where our HMS staff had used them earlier in the day) to the school entrance. As we started to stack and carry the boards, two Dads and two boys immediately stepped up to load the boards into a pickup and haul them to the school entrance. A 40 minute work out became a five-minute task, thanks to the immediate helpfulness of these guys! Thank you, Jeff and Jaiden Warner, Carter Mears and one more generous man with a truck!

Happy Labor Day Weekend!
Mrs. Ann Mitchell

Thursday, August 18, 2016

Dear Families in the Middle,

In case you hadn't heard, one of our very own Hudson Middle School students, Rebecca Tank, will be recognized this Saturday, August 20, in Waunakee (near Madison) as one of the top student composers in the state of Wisconsin! Rebecca competed in the Wisconsin School Music Association Composition Project and submitted an original musical composition titled, "The Quest for the Cookie Jar." We are so very proud of her and grateful her musical gifts are being honored!

Many thanks for the positive and helpful feedback on Registration Days! Each year, we hope your experience is a smooth one. Added changes such as online registration and Fee Pay are meant to be a convenience and we appreciate your patience as we work through the adjustment phase! Another thank you to the many parents who took a moment to e-mail and alert us that the schedule wasn't displaying. Your alert helped us locate an incorrect setting and correct the glitch Tuesday morning. More importantly, your messages were thoughtful and supportive. Thank you for your patience and for presuming positive intent!

A special shout out to Mrs. Diane Schofield, our Associate Principal taking the lead on schedules, and to Cheryl Engnes, our Registrar Administrative Assistant for the hours and hours of attention they've given to providing schedules that we hope do the following:
* Honor student choice in electives (8th grade)
* Create as small an advisory as possible for more personal attention
* Balance class sizes for maximum student support

From our HMS Parent Network Group: the HMS Spirit Wear Sale ends this Friday, August 19th, at 11:59 PMInfo and store link can be found on the HMS website under General Information and HMS Parent Group. Another way to access the HMS Spirit Wear store is to go directly to hudsonstcroixsports.com
Our HMS store is on the home page.  A second sale will be offered by our Parent Group during October conferences.  

These warm and humid summer days will quickly give way to cool and crisp autumn mornings. While Safeway finalizes bus routes (they're nearly finished!), teachers collaborate with teams to revise plans and make changes in their classroom set-up, and our custodial team works feverishly to complete moving, painting, and repairing projects...we wish your family lovely days of anticipation this August! 

Warmly,
Ann





Wednesday, August 10, 2016

Dear Families in the Middle,

It has been such a joy to see so many of you during Registration Days. We hope you and your middle-level student(s) experienced a smooth registration process and the experience has left your family eager for another year of learning in our Raider community! PLEASE take time to READ our Middle Musings blog posts for updates and information.

The shift from varied house lists to a common grade level list resulted in a couple of items in question. We noted a couple of items needing clarification:

7th grade supplies - the pre-ordered KITS included ONE binder; the hard copy list included THREE binders. Please anticipate the need for ONE binder to begin the year. If an additional binder is needed, teachers will communicate that need at a future time.

8th grade supplies -  8th grade pre-ordered kits do not include "2 pkgs. of looseleaf paper" but the hard copy list includes that item. Teachers will confirm with students during the school year whether looseleaf is needed.

Pre-ordered Supply Kits - if you were unable to pick up your student's supply kit from HMS during Registration Days, the kit will be placed in your student's Advisor classroom for your student to pick up the first day of school. If you'd like to pick up the kit prior to the first day of school, please stop in the office and we will do our best to help you locate the box in the Advisor classroom.

Chromebooks will be distributed on Tuesday, September 6th in Advisory. We want to focus on listening and observing, relationships and knowing, understanding, supporting and challenging each other as we begin a new year.

Feedback on Registration Days - In case you were unable to leave your feedback in the basket on your way out the door, please use this link to give us feedback and share suggestions for improving the registration process. Thank you!

An interesting bit of trivia:
* The Class of 2023 (6th grade) is 463 students strong and still growing! We've added three traveling teacher advisors to the team and anticipate the addition of a house in 2017-18 with great joy!

Please encourage your middle-level student to check out the Student Leadership Opportunities and apply by clicking on the links on the Student Leadership Tab in this blog. Every student has something wonderful to share with others! Thank you!

Warmly,

Mrs. Ann Mitchell








Monday, August 1, 2016

Dear Families in the Middle,

As our district continues to improve our use of technology to enhance learning, I want you to be aware of several opportunities for learning more about Chromebooks, Google Apps for Education, and our district policies, practices and procedures to support students positive and responsible use of technology.

letter from our new District Technology Coordinator, Jennifer Lotze, provides you with an overview of our district 1:1 initiative.

During Registration Days, parents have the opportunity for a 20 minute Chromebook orientation session. These sessions will begin at 11:00 and will be offered every hour (on the hour) until 6:00 PM each day, August 8-9-10. You'll have an opportunity to meet, ask questions, and learn more from our HMS Technology Integration Coaches and Tech Council members.

Chromebooks will not be distributed to HMS students until Tuesday, September 6th. The first two days of the school year will be focused on getting to know one another, establishing our team, strengthening our community, and sharing expectations. We think this people-knowledge is far more important than the technical skill of using devices.

Parents will have another opportunity for Chromebook and online learning support during our fall parent orientation Monday, September 19, at 5:30 PM, just prior to the kick-off Parent Group Network meeting at 6:30 PM. We hope you'll consider coming for both informative meetings!

Always seeking ways to improve our communication, please take time to share feedback on our Registration Days. We appreciate your questions, ideas, and suggestions for strengthening our learning community! See you next week!

Warmly,
Ann




Wednesday, July 20, 2016

Dear Families in the Middle,
July seems to be the fastest month of the summer! Suddenly we're talking registration, school supplies, and back-to-school schedules. Online registration opened Monday, July 18. You will find this link helpful as you anticipate Registration Days at HMS. Please don't hesitate to call us (Tasia, Cheryl, Trevor, Diane and Ann) with questions!
Message and invitation from our Parent Group leaders:
Our Hudson Middle School Parent Group (HMSPG) is looking for volunteers to help during Registration Days, so please consider signing up for a shift!   Come join the fun in welcoming parents and students to a new school year.  Assist at the HMS Parent Group Information Table with the following tasks: 
* distribute School Supply Kits to those who ordered
* invite parents to join our email list
* collect orders for Locker organization units from Locker Works
* highlight our NEW Hudson Spirit Wear (samples and ordering info will be available).
We hope to have 2 volunteers for each shift; however, we understand if you can only come for part of a shift.  Additionally, let's try to cover the 6th grade registration day first (August 10th) as we want to fully assist all of the new students and parents.
NO experience or past HMSPG involvement is needed, just your fun and outgoing personality!   We'll have all the information you need.  
Questions:  please contact Anne Wasmund via this link: Sign Up Genius 
Thank you for your help!  
Hudson Middle School Parent Group

Wednesday, July 13, 2016

Dear Families in the Middle,

We're nearing approval of conceptual plans for the middle school addition! The addition will help us...
...create houses and advisories with fewer total students
...include students with special education needs in each house to strengthen our learning community
...provide a home-base classroom for teachers who have previously "traveled" from house to house

Have you marked your calendar with our HMS Registration Days?
Monday, August 8 - 8th grade
Tuesday, August 9 - 7th grade
Wednesday, August 10 - 6th grade

Please add to your calendar our first HMS American Red Cross Blood Drive! Thanks to the initiative of Gabe Wolf and his mother Teresa, we are hosting a blood drive Tuesday, August 9, 4 - 8 PM in our multi-purpose room. Here's a message from Gabe encouraging us to contribute. I've already signed up to give a pint at 6:45 PM.
Hello all,
Hudson Middle School and the American Red Cross are hosting an upcoming blood drive.
Please join our lifesaving mission and schedule an appointment today!
Drive Details:
Site: Hudson Middle School
Address: 1300 Carmichael Rd., Hudson, WI, 54016
Room Name: Multi-Purpose Room
Date: Tue Aug 9, 2016
Time: 4:00: PM - 8:00: PM
Coordinator Name: Teresa Wolf
Coordinator Phone Number: 6129737349

Click here to make an appointment
I'm Gabe Wolf, from Hudson, WI. I'm the blood drive coordinator for American Red Cross Blood Drive. I'm working towards my Eagle Scout Project. Please e-mail me and help donate on August 9, from4:00-8:00 P.M. Please call me at 715-441-7698, or send me an e-mail at william_wolf@ymail.com to confirm a time. Thank you.
The need for blood is constant and only volunteer donors can fulfill that need for patients in our community. Nationwide, someone needs a unit of blood every 2 to 3 seconds and most of us will need blood in our lifetime.
Thank you for supporting the American Red Cross blood program!

Tuesday, July 5, 2016

Dear Families in the Middle,

Such spectacular weather for our summer work and play! We'll keep this message brief so you can get back outdoors and enjoy the fresh air, warm sunshine and nature's bounty!

Our new district website is READY! Please check it out and offer feedback via e-mail or a comment on this blog post. www.hudsonraiders.org

We are hopeful this will be your one stop shop for registration details, communication and updates, and information from your child's advisor and teachers.

Please mark your calendar with our HMS REGISTRATION Days:
6th Grade - Wednesday, August 10 - 10:30 AM - 6 PM
7th Grade - Tuesday, August 9 - 10:30 AM - 6 PM
8th Grade - Monday, August 8 - 10:30 AM - 6 PM

Each family will be receiving registration information by e-mail during July. The e-mail will include registration links and information, including house and advisor assignments.

Our HMS Parent Group has also been planning for the coming year. Thanks to their suggestions, you will see positive changes in our Registration Day details!

We hope you and your family enjoy Hudson Booster Days, Fourth of July family gatherings and/or the middle month of summer with gusto!

Warmly,

Mrs. Ann Mitchell

Thursday, June 16, 2016

Dear Families in the Middle,

Our school is in summer mode. That means we have the joy of seeing several students and adults each day enjoying summer enrichment classes (like digital photography, computer programming, movie-making, and painting). The presence of students - whether for swimming, School Age Care, or summer classes helps keep the spirit in our learning community!

We're also very grateful for a hard-working crew of custodians cleaning, repairing, and re-organizing spaces amid all the activity. Please take a moment when you're in our building to express your gratitude for their diligence. Mr. Stejskal, our District Director of Facilities & Grounds noted during the school board meeting Monday night: Hudson School District custodians clean the equivalent of 24,000 square feet per 8 hour shift. That translates into cleaning one 3000 sq. ft. home per hour! Another consideration? Based on our enrollment, that home would have 17 occupants. KUDOS to our HSD Custodians!!

Bray Architects have been meeting with several groups over the past couple of weeks to learn more about the needs at the High School and at our Middle School. Our efforts at HMS are focused on designing the addition of two Houses and integrating Special Education spaces, so that the Merlin House can be converted to a third additional house. The opportunity presents challenges and trade-offs as we think about supporting collaboration and consider changes in the way we learn.

We've been interviewing for several positions - Physical Education and Health, Special Education, Secretary, Social Studies - over the past two weeks as well. We hope to share new staff information in the coming weeks.

Hoping you've found time for family fun between the storms and sunshine!
Warmly,

Mrs. Ann Mitchell