Dear Families in the Middle,

Thanks to several 8th grade students and Mrs. Engstrom-Yde, ALL 8th graders participated in our first 8th grade Future Fair Thursday afternoon. Student partner teams researched topics including:
* What High School courses should I take?
* How do I prepare a resume?
* What does a college application look like?
Presentations, games, and information flyers were impressive and informative. These will be re-shared for parents during our Academic Open House Thursday, May 5, in our 8th grade houses. Please be sure to include this special event in your family calendar!

We're "Pairing Up to Help Out!" at HMS. Hudson Police Department is collecting shoes to be sent to people in developing countries across the world through the Funds2org.com organization. Donations of unwanted pairs of shoes or boots will help individuals in need AND will raise money to purchase an autism service dog for a police officer's son. Thanks to the initiative of Mrs. Maren Luedtke and Officer James Wildman and the generosity of many, many middle level families, we have collected more than 385 pairs of shoes! Pairs of shoes and boots can be sent to HMS until Friday, April 29.

At the national level, it's EVERY KID HEALTHY WEEK April 24 - 30!
Rather than celebrating this week, we are anticipating a couple of district-wide efforts in early May.
Wednesday, May 4 - BIKE or WALK to school day!
Week of May 9 - 13 - POWER UP! Each day will include a healthy focus. Stay tuned for details.

For more information, please check out this link:
ACTION FOR HEALTHY KIDS (Thank you Mrs. Gangnon, Mr. Wickstrom and Ms. Brown)

One more opportunity for you to learn from Brian Crimm (if you missed the April 2nd session at Hudson Middle School) Understanding Your Adolescent - (This is a River Falls location)

It's EARTH WEEK in Hudson Schools!

Our District R3 Team invites you to CELEBRATE EARTH WEEK 2016! Please wear the color of the day and try the tips shared below, including pages from Green Wise Kids by local author Jean Clausen.

SUNDAY, April 17 - St. Croix County EARTH DAY celebration at YMCA Camp St. Croix, Noon - 4 PM; check out St. Croix County’s Earth Day Facebook page!

MONDAY, April 18 - Save water (reuse water bottles) Consider sharing the book Ah! Water! (local author Jean Clausen) with students; 2 minute showers; turn off water while brushing teeth; repair dripping faucets; use a rainbarrel; place a plastic milk jug in toilet

TUESDAY, April 19 -  Save energy; turn off lights; use only one bank of lights; turn off computer monitors; unplug chargers from wall (phones, iPads, etc.)

WEDNESDAY, April 20 - paperless day; Go Google; take physical activity breaks; focus on speaking and listening; reuse the backside of papers

THURSDAY, April 21 - save fuel carpool, bike or walk to work; walk outdoors, breathe the fresh air, exercise outside, bike for enjoyment, unplug the treadmill and go outside; wear a raincoat and golashes  

FRIDAY, April 22 - EARTH DAY!  Plant something or clean up our school yards; Enjoy John Mueller’s (5th grade teacher, River Crest) song: This World is Your World; walk with a buddy; get outdoors; start composting! Compost Cool Tool (HMS Sustainability Group)

April 14, 2016

Dear Families in the Middle,

Enjoy this second production of our HMS News Room Team with the guidance of Advisor Ms. Liz Stolte.


Celebrating another Middle School student doing remarkable things! Rebecca Tank, 8th grade musician extraordinaire, applied for and has been awarded the privilege of playing her alto saxophone in an Honors Performance at Carnegie Hall in New York during their 125th Anniversary season. This honor means Rebecca is recognized among the finest middle school performers internationally!

More good news about HMS students!
Hudson Middle School Students Named National Finalists in the Bright Schools Competition

 The STEM SISTERS are One of 50 National Finalists in an Innovative STEM Competition for Students in Grades 6-8

Hudson, Wisconsin—April 11, 2016—Gabrielle Blakey, Charlotte Stow, Hannah Sutherland and Madeline Pasche, along with their mentor and teacher Christopher Deleon, of Hudson Middle School in Hudson, Wisconsin have been named national finalists in the inaugural Bright Schools Competition™. The competition is a collaborative effort of the National Sleep Foundation and the National Science Teachers Association that encourages students in grades 6-8 to explore the correlation between light and sleep and how it influences student health and performance. The STEM Sisters is one of 50 national finalist teams, chosen among 170 teams, made up of nearly 550 students from 63 schools. On May 2, 2016, first-, second- and third-place national winning teams will be announced. The complete list of the national finalists can be found at http://brightschoolscompetition.org/. 

Enjoy the lovely weekend ahead...next week is EARTH WEEK in Hudson Schools! Another blog post with details for each day is on its way!
Mrs. Ann Mitchell

Dear Families in the Middle,

Ms. Chelsea Bellville, our Middle School Social Worker, shares this week's blog message - a positive and helpful reminder of the importance of daily thoughtful conversations with each child.

April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month-
Commit to Prevent Child Abuse!

April is a time to recognize that we each can play a part in promoting the social and emotional well-being of children and families in communities.

The month of April is devoted to celebrating everything we can do to transform our community into a place that cares about – and actively supports -- families and children. By ensuring that all parents in our community have access to quality, affordable health services, parenting education resources, and substance abuse and mental health programs, we make progress toward what the month stands for: April is Child Abuse Prevention Month.

The Six Protective Factors

Protective factors are conditions in families and communities that, when present, increase the health and well-being of children and families.

Nurturing and Attachment: A child's early experience of being nurtured and developing a bond with a caring adult affects all aspects of behavior and development.

Knowledge of Parenting and Child Development: Discipline is both more effective and more nurturing when parents know how to set and enforce limits and encourage appropriate behaviors based on the child's age and level of development.

Parental Resilience: Parents who are emotionally resilient have a positive attitude, creatively solve problems, effectively address challenges, and are less likely to direct anger and frustration at their children.

Social Connections: Trusted and caring family and friends provide emotional support to parents by offering encouragement and assistance in facing the daily challenges of raising a family.

Concrete Supports for Parents: Parents need basic resources such as food, clothing, housing, transportation, and access to essential services that address family-specific needs to ensure the health and well-being of their children.

Social and Emotional Competence of Children: When a child has the right tools for healthy emotional expression, parents are better able to respond to his or her needs, which strengthen the parent-child relationship. 

Chelsea Bellville

School Social Worker

Hudson Middle School

715-377-3820, ext. 

Dear Families in the Middle,

Spring has sprung! Between rainfall, slightly warmer temperatures, the Forward Exam, Middle Level Education week (March 28 - April 1) and the anticipation of culminating projects and events, spirits are on a bit of a roller-coaster ride. We may start our morning with high energy and joy, approach mid-day with trepidation and anxiety (unfinished work or strained relationships), and finish our day with frustration and sadness (unfinished work and strained relationships). Corwin Kronenberg reminded me years ago, "Our job is NOT to ride the roller coaster WITH them; we need to stay on the platform, getting them safely on and then off the roller coaster."

As a parent, I remember all too well those evenings when my pre-adolescent and teenager vented on a sibling, flippantly responded to a question, or silently cried after everyone had gone to bed. Listening sessions at midnight, pep-talks in the morning, and notes on the bathroom mirror helped us get through those difficult times. We want you to know we are here to partner with you on that roller-coaster platform and we appreciate you reaching out - whether in difficult and challenging times or to share a celebration with us!

Speaking of parenting an adolescent, we are hosting Understanding Your Adolescent here at the middle school THIS SATURDAY, April 2! Refreshments will be provided so a call to register is appreciated. However, even if you're unable to make that advance registration, you are WELCOME to join the workshop! You'll head to Room 133 (Excalibur House - lower level, northwest corner).
Here's a teaser shared during our Parent Seminar sessions Monday, March 21.

And MORE parenting support...thanks to a Middle School parent, we thought we'd share a link to an informative article: 7 Dangerous Apps Parents Need to Know About, We'd like to focus on the value and benefit of increased access to technology. However, as you well know, in an age of widespread social networking, we also need to be more aware of potential pitfalls and help our children and each other navigate the terrain. IT TAKES A VILLAGE. Another reminder that parenting is not for the feint of heart, but requires courage, forbearance, and perseverance.

In case you missed the Orchestra and Band concert Tuesday evening, Mr. Dahle shared a recording:
Orchestra Concert March 29, 2016
Band Concert March 29, 2016

See you on the roller-coaster platform!

Mrs. Ann Mitchell
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March 24, 2016

It's springtime at HMS and students are BLOSSOMING! Please check out only three examples this week. More to come...

Each year more than half a million students across the United States participate in National History Day (NHD). Students choose an historical topic related to the annual theme, and then conduct primary and secondary research. This year's theme is Exploration, Encounter, Exchange in History! Students analyze and interpret their sources, draw a conclusion about the significance their topic, and then present their work in one of five ways: as a paper, an exhibit, a performance, a documentary, or a website.  This year, HMS had 19 students participate at the Regional level for NHD and we have 4 students moving on to the State competition in April. 

Congratulations to our students and thank you to Mrs. Sarah Engstrom-Yde and Mr. Mike Yell for your advising!



More good news from our Hudson Middle students! Please check out the video above of our STEM Sisters presenting in Indianapolis earlier this week. Hudson Middle School Students Gabrielle Blakey, Madeline Pasche, Charlotte Stow, and Hannah Sutherland presented their "Weekend on Mars" project to a sold out crowd of 1800 people during teh opening ceremonies of the 2016 Project Lead the Way National Summit. They also had the honor or introducing keynote speaker Pro NFL football player and mathematician, John Uschel! Not only did this put Hudson Middle School students on the national stage, but it also made them instant celebrities. Several participants shared what an inspiration these students are for girls in STEM, asking them to record messages for their students - even asking if they would present at their school so that their students could see them and be inspired. Thank you, Mr. Chris DeLeon and Ms. Jodie Bray, Technology Education teachers at HMS, for your leadership and initiative! 
Sarah Drogseth received a top state award in the 2016 Scholastic Art Awards - Wisconsin Competition and Exhibit late in February. Her work combines multi-media techniques, a three dimensional aspect, and recycled materials! Thank you, Mr. Jesse Lam and Mrs. Julie King-Hildreth, for the many ways you foster creativiy in our students! Check out Sarah's creative piece in our school cafeteria display case! 

Dear Families in the Middle,

Thank you so much for your unwavering support and partnership with us in limiting the use of cell phones and personal devices during the school day. We're noticing much more conversation during lunch and appreciating the efforts our students are making to "break the habit" of cell phone addiction. I especially appreciate the thoughtful student conversations and e-mail messages posing questions and sharing perspectives as we consider various situations and circumstances. (Mr. Hagerman and I recently enjoyed a mini-lesson on the AppleWatch!) The ultimate goal is for our students to more effectively manage their use of personal devices on their own. It's very possible, with guidance and peer support, we'll adjust the restrictions as we demonstrate responsible and respectful decision-making throughout the day.

Photos from Teen Read Week at Hudson Middle School. Thank you to Kari Halstad, Reading Teacher, and her team for planning several ways to feature and celebrate good reads!!

Happy Daylight Savings Time! 

Mrs. Ann Mitchell