WELCOME BACK HOWLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL 2021-2022
Please be sure to read through this mailing for very important information regarding Howland Middle School, including the dress guidelines. As the year progresses, remain informed through the HMS webpage and Parent Access. We hope you are finding time to enjoy your last days of summer!
FINAL FORMS - HOWLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL CONTINUES TO USE FINAL FORMS FOR ALL EMERGENCY MEDICAL INFORMATION AND START-UP FORMS.
HMS students & families will need to update information and sign/re-sign necessary forms.
Visit http://howland-oh.finalforms.com to create an account or to log in and sign required forms/update medical/contact information.
Student Schedules & Student Chromebooks will not be released to students until all forms are updated and all signatures are complete in the students’ FinalForms account.
During the week of August 23 to August 27
Returning 6th, 7th, and 8th Graders (attended Howland Middle School last year):
Student schedules will be emailed to students/families if all of their FinalForm signatures are complete - this includes PARENT signatures and STUDENT signatures. Please make sure your email address in FinalForms is CURRENT. Please wait until Friday, August 27th to call us about NOT receiving your students’ schedule.
New Students in 6th, 7th, and 8th Grades (have NEVER physically attended Howland Middle School):
New Student/Family Meeting with the HMS Counselors will be Thursday, August 26, 2021 from 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm.
5th Grade Orientation/Family Meeting:
5th Grade Orientation/Family Meeting will be on Tuesday, August 24, 2021 from 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm.
5th Grade Schedule Pick Up (4:30 pm to 5:00 pm) will be in the HMS Gymnasium PRIOR to the 5:00 meeting.
5th Grade students/families will meet at 5:00 pm in the gym for an informational meeting. After the meeting, families will have an opportunity to tour the building prior to Meet the Teacher Night.
HMS Meet the Teacher Night - Thursday, September 2, 2021:
HMS will host a Meet the Teacher Night on Thursday, September 2, 2021.
Due to space/parking - the evening will be broken up by grade level.
7th & 8th Grade: 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm
5th & 6th Grade: 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm
Families will be able to meet teachers and students will be able to walk the building.
FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL - TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2021 (7:37 am - 2:24 pm)
Chromebook Distribution for HMS students will occur during the first days of school ONLY IF all forms are signed by parents/students in FINALFORMS.
Important HMS Information
MASKS:
At the time of this publication, facial coverings (masks) are optional for students and staff. Should anything change regarding masks, we will communicate to families.
VISITOR/DELIVERIES:
Due to the current health & safety protocols in place, visitation to the building remains STRICTLY LIMITED.
Most questions and concerns will be addressed via telephone and email communication.
Additionally, deliveries to students throughout the school day are for EMERGENCY PURPOSES ONLY.
Dropping off items such as lunches, lunch money, instruments, chromebooks, chargers, textbooks, bookbags, homework, projects, etc. should be limited and/or avoided. Please spend time each morning double checking that your student has all of his/her belongings prior to leaving your home.
EARLY RELEASES:
If your student needs to have an early release, please send a note in the morning with him/her with the following information: TIME/DATE your student will be picked up, WHO will be picking up your student, REASON for early release, and if they will RETURN to school after the appointment.
You are encouraged to make appointments outside of the school day and to take vacations while school is not in session to prevent loss of academic time. If medical appointments must occur during the school day, a medical excuse must be submitted (upon return to school) to the main office. Medical excuse submission is essential for accurate attendance reporting.
FEES:
The student instructional fee for HMS is $40.00 for all students. This fee covers the art supplies, reading & math workbooks, science specimens, and other instructional resources allocated to students throughout the year. Parents are encouraged to pay by the end of the first week of school by cash, check or money order payable to Howland Middle School. Parents can also pay using a credit/debit card on PaySchoolsCentral.com. ALL students have an additional yearly fee of $30.00 ($15.00 for students on REDUCED LUNCH) for their chromebooks which covers licensing, maintenance, and insurance. A note will come home with your student the first day of school to inform you of the cost of the fees.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION:
Students will NOT be changing for PE/Health & Wellness this year - appropriate footwear/attire is required as directed by the Physical Education teachers.
When possible, students will go outside for PE. When the windchill is below 25 degrees, students will remain inside for Physical Education - therefore during colder/winter months, students must bring their coats, hats, etc. to Physical Education so that they are prepared to go outside.
Physical Education is required unless excused by a doctor’s written statement.
LOCKERS:
Students will be permitted to go to their locker four times throughout the school day (When they arrive in the morning, before/after lunch, and at dismissal). Students will have to plan accordingly. Students will be permitted to use a bookbag to carry their belongings throughout the school day. Please note: Coats must be stored in lockers and all valuables should be left at home. Also, there are NO locks on HMS lockers.
Additional Information
You are encouraged to ride the bus or to follow the traffic patterns established for drop-off or pick-up. These rules have been established to ensure the safety of ALL CHILDREN.
Teachers may assign detentions to students. If you have a question about a detention, please contact the staff member that issued the discipline. Please note: detentions are not appealable, as they are informal discipline/consequences.
Detention is AFTER school on Monday, Tuesday, & Wednesday and BEFORE school on Thursday & Friday.
Howland Local Schools is the recipient of funding through the National School Lunch Program. For the 2021-2022 school year, breakfast and lunch will be provided to all students at no cost to the student. Ala Carte items are available at a cost per item.
Supply lists per grade level are posted on the Howland Middle School’s web site.
Tdap Booster and Meningococcal VACCINATION FOR 7th GRADERS: As enacted in the State of Ohio, all incoming children attending 7th grade must show proof of this vaccination. This may NOT be a vaccination that your child has currently. This requirement was enacted after your child received vaccinations as a toddler. Please note: This requirement has NOTHING to do with COVID-19 and has been a requirement of incoming 7th grade students for years.
ATTENDANCE
Regular school attendance is an important ingredient in students’ academic success. Excessive absences interfere with students’ progress in mastering knowledge and skills necessary to graduate from high school prepared for higher education and the workforce. To support academic success for all students, Howland Local Schools will partner with students and their families to identify and reduce barriers to regular school attendance. Howland Local School District will utilize a continuum of strategies to reduce student absence. If an absence requires medical care and/or treatment, a note from a physician's office is required for mandatory attendance reporting.
The Missing Child Act requires that all absent students must be reported off by their parents/legal guardians by telephoning the Attendance Office of Middle School at 330-856-8250 ext. 1 or 330-856-8265.
TIMELINE FOR TARDINESS:
Middle School:
AM TARDY: When a student comes to school from 7:37am – 9:10 am
PARTIAL ABSENCE: When a student comes to or leaves school between 9:10 am to 2:24 pm
PLEASE NOTE: All AM tardies count toward the total number of attendance hours under House Bill 410.
Communication must be made with the school within 48 hours of an absence for it to be considered excused. Communication includes a phone call or a written parental, medical, or legal excuse.
In general, one day for each excused day absent is permitted for each student to make-up assignments. Students MAY NOT RECEIVE CREDIT for work missed due to an unexcused absence but are encouraged to keep up with any missed assignments.
Constant “late” or no homework will greatly affect the grades. If your student is absent from school, he/she can go to the teachers’ Google Classroom to get assignments that are posted each day. Additionally, students can email teachers to find out what was missed in class and receive assignments digitally.
ATTENDANCE POLICY FOR ATHLETIC/ACTIVITIES:
Students must be in attendance at school for a full day on the day of the event to participate. If the event does not take place on a day in which school is in session, students must be in attendance for a full day on the day prior to the event to participate. If a student was absent for a portion of the school day, a medical/legal excuse must be presented to participate.
DRESS GUIDELINES
Students are expected to dress appropriately for school. Any fashion, dress accessory, or grooming that is found to be disruptive to the educational process or presents health or safety concerns will not be permitted. Therefore, the principal shall have final jurisdiction in individual cases when interpreting and enforcing dress and grooming guidelines.
The following styles or manners of dress are prohibited:
CLOTHING:
Skirts, dresses, and shorts should be at least mid-thigh length. Clothing that falls shorter than mid-thigh may still be appropriate and will be determined by building administration.
Visible undergarments (boxers, bra straps, leggings, jeggings, yoga pants), or any tight-fitting clothes that are revealing. If leggings, jeggings, or yoga pants are worn, they must be covered by a loose shirt that reaches the mid-thigh area. In cases where there may be a violation, administrative discretion will be applied on a case by case basis.
Yoga leggings with mesh panels (cut outs) above the knee.
Clothing, buttons, badges, etc. that contain messages that are vulgar, offensive, obscene, or libelous; that denigrate others on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, or disability; that promote or reference alcohol, tobacco or drug use, violence, or death.
Pajamas/sleepwear (including flannel shorts and pants).
Inappropriate footwear (flip-flops, slippers, roller shoes, beach sandals, barefoot, backless/strapless shoes). All footwear must be secured to the feet.
Outerwear (coats and jackets may only be worn to and from school).
Tank-top style, halter top style, strapless top style or garments with spaghetti straps. Sleeveless style garments will be permitted as long as the area from the neck to the shoulder is covered.
Excessively oversized or sagging clothing. Bottoms must stay in place at the waistline or hipline with or without a belt. The waist is defined as the area between the bottom of the ribcage and the top of the hipbone. Tops and bottoms must overlap at all times including when arms are raised.
Hats, hoods, and headwear.
Excessively distressed pants/jeans.
Pants/jeans that are distressed or have holes above the knee can be revealing and are considered inappropriate for the school setting. In cases where there may be a violation, administrative discretion will be applied on a case by case basis.
Floor length clothing.
JEWELRY:
Visible body piercing in areas other than the ears can be distracting. Administrative discretion will be applied on a case by case basis.
Extreme piercings that cause a distraction as determined by Administrative discretion.
Distracting jewelry that may pose a safety issue.
Chains or other accessories suspended from clothing that may pose a health or safety hazard.
Electronic Communication watches are not permitted to be worn at the middle school levels. The privilege of wearing an electronic communication watch at the high school level may be limited.
HAIR STYLES:
Hair color, including highlights, that is not within the spectrum of color that grows naturally such as (but not limited to) blue, green, pink, etc. can pose a distraction to the educational process. Hair color that causes a distraction can be limited by building administration.
Extreme hairstyles that are determined to be disruptive by the building administrator are subject to prohibition or limitation.
Wigs are prohibited other than for documented medical purpose(s).
NOTE: The above attire will be strictly enforced on a regular basis, however, there may be scheduled days throughout the school year when certain attire may be worn in the interest and recognition of spirit days/events or school sponsored activities or events.
Students who are representing Howland Schools at an official function or public event may be required to follow specific dress requirements. Usually, this applies to athletic teams, cheerleaders, bands, and other such groups.
Students should understand that these guidelines are minimums for both academic and extracurricular activities.