Hays Hawks Newsletter

The Hays Yearbook team would love photos of your snow/ice day fun to publish in this year's yearbook! Photos should be of Hays students. Please submit photos, along with student names, at http://bit.ly/haysphotos.

• January 30: Last day to purchase a 25-26 yearbook!
• January 31: UIL Practice Meet at Jones MS (UIL practice meet information letter)
• February 2-6: National School Counseling Week
• February 2: 26-27 course selection opens for current 6th & 7th graders
• February 3: Parent Info & Expo Night for incoming 6th graders **RESCHEDULED from 1/28
• February 4: Course selection Q&A sessions (details below)
• February 9: Tennis and soccer tryouts this week
• February 10: Cheer tryout meeting (flyer below)
• February 11: Pre-athletics boys basketball scrimmages / PTO spirit night at Panera (flyer below)
• February 12: PTO Donut Day during Hawk Time! / pre-athletics girls basketball scrimmages
• February 13: Staff professional learning day - no school for students

🔗View the full Hays calendar here

🔗View all Athletic Schedules here

🎟️Find Athletic Ticket info here

Course Registration is happening soon! Please use the links below to find important information about this process.

• Middle School Course Selection Important Dates (for current 5th, 6th, and 7th graders) **Parent Info & Expo Night RESCHEDULED from 1/28 to 2/3
• Middle School Course Selection Q & A with the Counselors (for parents of current 5th, 6th, and 7th graders)

📚Hays Library Weekly Reader

📝Academic UIL: Hays Academic UIL website and practice times

📔Purchase a Yearbook: bit.ly/haysheritageybk

🔍Clubs are a great way for students to get connected at Hays! 🔗Hays Clubs Website

Together We Empower

The week of February 2-6 is National School Counseling Week. We want to thank our counseling team for all the ways they pour into our campus and empower our students! Please join us in showing appreciation for Ms. Littlefield (6th grade counselor), Ms. Keller (7th grade counselor), and Ms. Smith (8th grade counselor). These ladies have big jobs and big hearts!

• Join Hays PTA - haysmsptoprospertx.com
• Like us on Facebook - Hays MS PTO
• Follow us on Twitter - @ProsperHays_PTO
• PISD Volunteer Application
• ➡️Sign up to volunteer in the Hays library!

As we return from winter break and begin this new calendar year together, I want to discuss something that significantly impacts your child's success: daily attendance.

Why Every Day Matters

In Prosper ISD, we're committed to championing every student's journey to excellence, and that journey happens here, in our classrooms, every single day. When students are consistently present, they develop essential life competencies, including self-management, perseverance, and accountability—qualities that prepare them to thrive in college, career, the military, and life.

Consider these important facts about attendance:

• Missing just 2 days per month equals 10% of instructional time—nearly 4 weeks of learning lost over a school year

• Students with 90% or better attendance are significantly more likely to graduate on time

• Chronic absenteeism in elementary school can predict lower reading proficiency by third grade

• Regular attendance builds stronger peer relationships and deeper connections to school

When Your Child Is Sick

Of course, when your child is genuinely ill, we want them to stay home, rest, and recover. Keeping sick children home protects the health of our entire school community and allows your child to return ready to learn. Our attendance focus is on discretionary absences—days when students are healthy but miss school for trips, appointments, or other reasons that can be scheduled outside school hours. Every day of instruction matters, and we encourage families to prioritize school attendance when children are well.

Attendance Requirements

To help your child stay on track:

• Students must maintain 90% attendance in each class to receive course credit

• In middle school and high school, attendance is recorded each class period—missing even one class counts toward this threshold.

• Attendance is taken once per day at elementary school, but we know that learning happens all day

• Both excused and unexcused absences count toward the 90% requirement

• Absences should be documented within three school days (up to four parent notes per semester)

• Students falling below 90% may need an attendance recovery plan to maintain course credit

Partnering Together

At Prosper ISD, we believe families are integral partners in education. When your child must miss school, please communicate with teachers and help them complete missed work promptly. As you plan for the months ahead, please schedule appointments and trips outside school hours whenever possible.

Together, we cultivate meaningful connections and prosper when every member of our community shows up ready to learn and grow. By ensuring consistent attendance, you help us maintain the personal connections that make every student feel known, seen, and valued.

If you have questions or need support addressing attendance challenges, please reach out—we're here to help. Here's to Excellence Every Day in Every Way in 2026!

Please find information about the change in release periods for the Class of 2027 and Class of 2028.

• Class of 2027

• Class of 2028

Prosper ISD will reopen enrollment for the Student Device Protection Plan this January for all students in grades 6 and above. The plan costs $30 and provides coverage for the repair or replacement of your student’s school-issued Chromebook in the event of damage. Don’t miss your chance to get coverage on your device. The plan can be added through Revtrak using the following link: https://prosperisd.revtrak.net/

• To ensure student safety at Hays, all students who attend campus events as spectators are required to be picked up by 8:00 p.m. or shortly after the event ends, whichever comes first, unless they are attending the game with a parent. Students who are not picked up on time may lose the privilege of attending future events.
• For ANY games played at Children's Health Stadium, please also utilize the Clear Bag policy.

Stay informed with everything happening at Hays:

• 💗Counseling Resources -- Link

• 📝Hays Academic UIL -- Link

• 🏀Hays Athletic Booster Club -- Link

• 🛎️Hays Bell Schedule -- Link

• 🚗Hays Arrival & Dismissal Procedures -- Link

• 🗓️ School Calendar – Link
  

• 📝 Skyward – Link

• 🍔 Cafeteria Information -- Link

• 🚌 Bus Routes & Transportation Info – Link

• 💻 Hays Website – Link

There's so much to celebrate at Hays! Stay connected in a way that allows you to see our REAL Hawks in action!

• Live Feed
• FB: Hays Middle School
• X: @ProsperHaysMS
• Instagram: @pisd_hayshawks