Hamilton Intermediate News

It’s been an incredible month celebrating the achievements and dedication of our Rangers! Our students are demonstrating excellence across all grades, from 4th graders investigating plant structures and 5th graders creating digital civilizations and virtually adopting a cow named Ariel, to 6th graders designing new candies inspired by Roald Dahl. We are also committed to holistic health and leadership, kicking off the Team Tressel Fitness Challenge and watching our Student Lighthouse Team organize a fundraiser for the Wounded Warrior Project. Finally, a big congratulations to Mrs. Smith for her Citizen Star Award and to our entire staff for achieving Heart Safe School status—we are truly proud of the effort and commitment shown by everyone in the Hamilton Intermediate community!

With Ranger Pride,

Kelly Altiers
Principal

The fourth graders are having fun learning about the Functions and Structures on Living things. We have done investigations including one that shows how the structure of a plant helps water to travel through the stem and then to the leaves of a plant.

Mrs. Hyland’s math classes have virtually adopted a baby cow named Ariel! 🐮

Throughout the school year, Farmer Meagan will be sending us updates so students can watch Ariel grow and learn more about life on the farm. This fun, real-world connection will help bring math to life in exciting and unexpected ways!

Our students have been hard at work creating their own digital civilizations! Using what they’ve learned about geography, culture, government, and economics, each student designed a unique society from the ground up. From crafting maps and setting laws to developing trade systems and cultural traditions, students are bringing history and creativity together in an exciting, hands-on way. We can’t wait to see how their civilizations grow and thrive!

Mrs. Murray's class had their first prize drawing for passing i-Ready Reading and Math lessons. Six different winners were chosen, and were able to pick from a variety of prizes. We will continue to have prize drawings throughout the year to reward their excellent work!

Last quarter, 6th grade students wrapped up reading Roald Dahl’s memoir “Boy, Tales of Childhood”. Students were able to learn how Dahl came up with some of his unique ideas for the candies featured in his book “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”. The 6th grade class also created and wrote about a new idea for a piece of candy! Students did a fantastic job incorporating sensory and descriptive details in their work.

Former NFL and Ohio State football player Ted Ginn Jr. visited our building to kick off the Team Tressel Fitness Challenge! He spoke to students about the importance of staying active, making healthy choices, and setting goals to take care of their bodies and minds.

Our school is excited to participate in this challenge, which encourages students to build lifelong healthy habits through fun and engaging fitness activities. Stay tuned as we share updates on our progress and celebrate students’ efforts to stay active and healthy!

Hamilton Intermediate School’s Successful Habits teacher, Mrs. Brittany Smith, was recently honored with the Franklin County Sheriff’s Citizen Star Award, presented to individuals who exemplify extraordinary work in their community. Mrs. Smith earned this recognition for her outstanding leadership and dedication to our Student Lighthouse Team, empowering students to grow as leaders and make a positive impact in their school and beyond. We are proud to celebrate Mrs. Smith and her commitment to developing young leaders at Hamilton Intermediate!

Help us show appreciation for our amazing educators at Hamilton Intermediate! Please take a moment to complete the Google Form to share your gratitude. You may fill out as many forms as you’d like—just remember to recognize one educator per submission. You can use the QR code or click the image to be linked to the form.

Each educator will receive a certificate that includes the message of gratitude you share. Thank you for helping us celebrate the hard work and dedication of our staff!

Our Girls on the Run team will participate in their first 5K this weekend! The girls have been training hard and showing great teamwork, confidence, and determination. We’re so proud of their commitment and can’t wait to cheer them on as they cross the finish line!

Are you currently serving in the Military? Are you a Veteran? Hamilton Local Schools is looking to identify our Military connected Families in the District. Please fill out only 1 survey per Family. This form is from the Parent/Guardian perspective. We are looking for immediate family members that CURRENTLY live in your home, or recently have lived in your home (older children), NOT distant relatives or grandparents. Please use the QR to the right or click on the QR to be taken to the survey.

Last month, our Leader of the Month trait was Begin with the End in Mind. Students learned the importance of setting goals and making a plan to reach them. By thinking ahead and making choices that support their future success, our Rangers are practicing how to turn dreams into reality—one step at a time!

In November, we’re celebrating students who know how to Put First Things First — they set priorities, make time for what matters most, and take care of their responsibilities before having fun. These leaders show self-discipline, responsibility, and focus every day!

Encourage your child to:
✅ Finish homework before screen time ✅ Stay organized and plan ahead
✅ Set goals and follow through ✅ Balance work, play, and rest

Our Student Lighthouse Team has been working hard! This month, they discussed the paradigm that everyone can be a leader and everyone has genius. The students brainstormed ideas to improve key areas of our school, including recess, the lunchroom, and hallways.

Our student leaders are organizing a fundraiser to support the Wounded Warrior Project. Please see the flyer for more information. We are so proud of their leadership and commitment to making a difference!

As a Purple Heart School, we honor and respect the dedication and sacrifice of the military members and families in our community and across our nation. Thank you for supporting our students as they work to give back in a meaningful way.

The Lighthouse Team had the opportunity to hear from a thoracic oncologist from The OSU James Cancer Hospital as part of our Red Ribbon Week activities. Students asked thoughtful questions about his educational journey to become a physician, the research he is involved in, and the dangers of smoking and vaping.

Our 5th Grade Lighthouse members were invited to the Middle School to help judge their Red Ribbon Week door decorating contest. They represented our school with leadership and pride!

As a fun surprise, Principal Bryson treated the students to Kona Ice to celebrate their hard work and positive leadership. We are so proud of them—way to go, Lighthouse Leaders! 🌟🍧

The Our Student Lighthouse Team and Girls on the Run members traveled to the high school to take part in the Volley for the Cure pep rally! 💗🏐 Students had a great time supporting the event and showing their Ranger spirit while cheering on an important cause.

We’re proud to share that our school has officially been designated as a Project ADAM Heart Safe School! This recognition means our staff has completed training to respond quickly and effectively in the event of a cardiac emergency. We also have accessible AEDs (Automated External Defibrillators) throughout the building to help ensure the safety of everyone on campus.

This achievement reflects our ongoing commitment to providing a safe and caring environment for all students, staff, and visitors.

The Columbus Crew Cat visited our Intermediate Building to celebrate over 500 students who took the Stay in the Game attendance pledge! 🎉 The boys’ and girls’ varsity soccer teams joined in the fun—welcoming students to school, then sharing a Tim Hortons breakfast while chatting about the importance of showing up every day. Afterward, students and players hit the field for some scrimmages and plenty of soccer kicks. ⚽🐾

The competition is on! The LEAD class in each grade with the highest attendance percentage will earn a special visit from Mrs. Altiers—floating in on her famous inflatable duck raft! 🚣‍♀️💛

The winning class will also take home the Golden Duck Trophy to display proudly all week long. Let’s keep showing up, staying strong, and waddling our way to another victory! 🏆🐥