HMMS Newsletter

Today I had the opportunity to watch our students leave the building for our first-ever HMMS Day of Service. Seeing our students head out into the community wearing matching HMMS shirts and spending their time helping others was a proud moment. It was a reminder that learning extends beyond our classrooms and aligns so well with the amazing place that HMMS is .

This time of year is filled with transitions. We are preparing to welcome our incoming 6th grade students while also celebrating and preparing to send our 8th graders on to the high school. Of course we work hard to stay present and enjoy these final weeks with our students while also creating transition experiences that are thoughtful, meaningful, and centered on connection.

Our Step-Up Day for rising 6th graders has been intentionally designed with that focus . Our current 7th grade students will welcome our incoming students, and our rising 8th graders will serve as mentors, leading small groups through a scavenger hunt around the building. Along the way, students will visit important locations and resources throughout HMMS. At each stop, current students will share their perspectives and experiences, helping our new students learn what it means to be part of the HMMS community. We will end the day together with pizza and an opportunity to build new connections.

Our 8th grade students will also have an opportunity to visit Hartford High School, where they will meet their advisors and advisory groups. Just like our Step-Up Day, the focus of this experience is connection.

These final weeks of school are filled with opportunities to celebrate growth, reflect on accomplishments and reflect on the time and memories here at HMMS. We look forward to seeing many of you at our upcoming end-of-year events.

Please take a few moments to review this newsletter for updates, celebrations, and important information, including details for our 8th grade students and families.

Take a look at a vision that came to life thanks to Brycen Nardone and our amazing students! A sort of highlight film for HMMS that will be used for incoming families and students.

• Wed, June 3 - HMMS Spring Concert 7pm
• Thurs, June 4 - GXRLS STEM club open house/final presentations 3:30- 5:00
• Fri, June 5 - 8th Grade Trip to Canobie Lake Park
• Wed, June 10 - Step Up Day for Rising 6th grade to visit HMMS & current 8th grade to visit high school
• Wed, June 10 - Atlas 8th grade field trip to Storrs Pond (day trip)
• Thurs, June 11 - Nebula 8th grade overnight field trip to Storrs Pond
• Fri, June 12 - Nebula field trip to Storrs Pond
• Thurs, June 11- Fri, June 12 - Polaris overnight field trip to Silver Lake
• Thurs, June 11- Fri, June 12 - Eclipse overnight field trip to Storrs Pond
• Tues, June 16 - Cardboard Boat Races & Graduation Practice
• Tues, June 16 - HMMS Graduation
• June 16th is 8th grade promotion ceremony (6:30) evening (formerly known as “Graduation”). This event will be followed by a BBQ and outdoor game night rain or shine! We need donations for baked goodies, yard games, and grills please email Ms. Chapman if you are interested in helping with this event. Thank you in advance! Click here to sign up for BBQ help
• Wed, June 17 - Last Student ½ Day at HMMS

• We are already seeing ticks crawling, and some have made their way onto our students. Please take a look at the link below for ways to protect your child (and yourself) from ticks:

https://www.healthvermont.gov/disease-control/tick-bite-illnesses/prevent-tick-bites-tickborne-diseases

• With warmer temperatures arriving, our students are spending more time out in the sun during PE, recess, and on upcoming field trips. SUNSCREEN is an important protection for your child from sun damage to their skin. We encourage sunscreen use, but we also have to follow Vermont law regarding this product in the school setting. Per the law, parents must sign a permission form and return it to the school nurse, and the sunscreen must be non-aerosol, in the original container, and labeled with the student’s name. Due to possible allergies, students are not permitted to share sunscreen with other students. The form is attached below. Please fill out and sign the form and return it to me if you would like your child to be able to use sunscreen at school and school events. Thank you!

Sunscreen Permission Form

• Team Polaris took a field trip to the UVM Dairy Farm to learn about where our milk comes from, how these cows are raised, and the level of work that goes into modern agriculture. The team was excited to see many cows of all ages, learn fun facts, explore the property, and pet and feed many full grown cows.
• Team Polaris proudly presented their final projects to family and friends. The projects culminated their learning about the American Revolution and Civil War, by linking important people, events, and artifacts through an assigned relevant vocabulary word!
• Atlas 8th grade visited Marsh Billings farm on a field trip.
• Cardboard boat competition in STEM is underway with staff entering the field this year!

Club Meetings - HMMS offers many amazing club and organization opportunities for students. Add the calendar, linked below, to your own calendar to see when clubs are meeting!

HMMS Clubs and Organizations Calendar

Attention Hurricane Families:

Registration for the 2026-27 athletic year is now OPEN! You can now register for FALL, WINTER, and SPRING sports on the Infinite Campus website. Please visit the athletic webpage (https://hhsvt.com/athletics-2) for registration instructions, coach contact information, and other helpful information.

As coaches finalize summer opportunities we will link them on the athletic webpage. You can also contact your coach directly to see what is being planned for the summer. Fall pre-season information will also be linked as it gets finalized. Reminder that student-athletes MUST be registered for a sport in order to access the corresponding school sponsored summer offering.

Reminder where to direct your questions:

• registration questions / help can be directed to Maria Cooke (cookem@hartfordschools.net)

• Physicals (or anything medical) questions / help can be directed to Burke Farrell (farrellb@hartfordschools.net)

• Questions about your sport should be directed to the head coach (contact info found here)

• All other questions should be directed to Jeff Moreno (morenoj@hartfordschools.net)

The fall sports student-parent-coach orientation will be held on June 8th at 6:00 in the HHS auditorium. This is highly recommended for all, especially for families new to HHS athletics or HSD in general.

Promotion Ceremony Updates

• Our goal is to hold the 8th Grade Promotion Ceremony outdoors, which would allow for unlimited guests.
• If weather requires us to move indoors, we will make that decision and notify families no later than June 12.
• If the ceremony is held indoors, each family will be assigned a limited number of guest seats due to space constraints.
• We will send a separate communication regarding mobility and accessibility accommodations.
• Families needing seating accommodations will have an opportunity to notify us in advance so that appropriate seating can be reserved.
• Promotion ceremony will begin at 6:30 on the 16th and the 8th Grade BBQ will follow.

All athletic schedules for baseball, softball and track: https://hmmsvt.com/hmms-athletics

• • Summer opportunities for youth & families (including food and emergency resources)--Hartford Student Summer Enrichment and Wellness

  
  

  • Summer opportunities for 8th graders going into high school: Summer Opportunities 2026

  
  

  • RisingstarsVT.com is a theater company for incoming 1st - 6th graders to attend through Hartford Parks and Rec. There are still a few openings. Ms. Chapman runs this camp. This Summer we are doing Honk Jr.

  
  

  • The HACTC is excited to offer our one-week Summer Tech Camp to middle school students again! We hope to see some HMMS students here at the HACTC for camp this June. We will offer 10 different hands-on activities throughout the week. We will also offer our second annual Girls' Computer Camp. This camp is limited to the first 12 applicants. Activities offered will be similar to last year, but with a little more emphasis on hands-on activities this year. Both camps will be held the same week - June 22-26, 2026 - tech camp in the morning, and computer camp in the afternoon. Some examples of past tech camp activities include: basic welding, changing a car tire, making strawberry jam, exploring circuits, fun with Photoshop, spa sciences, basic first aid, entrepreneur for a day, building a mini cornhole board, community service, and more. We will share this year's complete list of camp activities when we get closer to June.

  • To register for Summer Tech Camp in the mornings, please complete and submit THIS online application.

  • To register for Girls Computer Camp in the afternoons, please complete and submit THIS online application.

  
  

  • Check out Second Growth’s FREE Summer camp opportunities to learn about wellness, art & sports, register here: https://www.secondgrowth.org/youth-programs/

  
  

  • DHMC Behavior Bridge is a new series of free, online programs for parents and caregivers to support children's mental health, developed by a team of mental health professionals, caregivers, and teens.

  The self-paced online guide can help fill a gap in treatment while a child waits for a therapy appointment, or be a useful tool right away.

  • Building Healthy Sleep- all ages

  • Understanding Trauma- all ages

  • Parenting Teens- ages 12+

  • Managing Challenging Behaviors (praise and attention, clear instructions, active ignoring, time outs, ADHD) ages 3-8

Cody TanCreti

Principal HMMS

tancretic@hartfordschools.net