KNIGHT LIFE

Dear Howard Families,

WELCOME BACK! We are all so very excited to welcome you back to school today, August 14th, for the start of the new academic year! It is with great pleasure and excitement that I extend my warmest greetings to all of you as we embark on a opportunity for learning, growth, and achievement.

My name is Natasha Epps, and I am excited to serve as the proud Principal of T.A. Howard Middle School. As I enter my 18th year in education, I understand the importance of fostering a partnership and embrace all opportunities to work together with educators, students, and families in order to achieve our vision of providing a high quality education for ALL students. I believe that every child should have access to a school environment that is positive, safe, supportive, and one that fosters growth. By working together, we can ensure that every student thrives at TAHMS.

It has been a pleasure to watch our Howard Knights walk through our school doors today, and I am excited about the great work we are about to accomplish together! We are spending time these first three days going over campus and classroom procedures. It is extremely important that we make sure our expectations are clear and that students have a deep understanding of "The Howard Way." Please read the important information below to help to make your back-to-school experience go smoothly as well.

Arrival:

The earliest students can be at school is 8:15 am, which is the time students may enter the building. Some students are dropped off earlier than that and wait on the front porch. We do not have supervision at that time and encourage parents to not drop off before then if that’s at all possible. Students who ride a bus will enter through the doors at the back of the building. All other students must enter through the front door at the main entrance. All other doors will be locked and monitored. Disciplinary consequences will be issued to any student who enters the building through another doorway and/or to any student who opens another doorway for anyone.

Attendance:

School starts at 8:45 a.m. Students must be in 1st period classrooms by 8:45 a.m. daily. Students who arrive at school late will be required to check in at the Attendance Office before they will be allowed in their classrooms. Tardies will not be excused for any reason. Students who are late to class often will be at risk of disciplinary consequences and losing credit for the class.

Dismissal From Campus:

All students must be picked up by 4:30 pm unless they are attending a school-sponsored event or our after school ACE program.

Schedules:

Families are able to view their child's current schedules via Skyward. Please make sure to check your schedule every morning over the next few weeks as schedule changes occur frequently while we are balancing classes.

Schedule Changes:

Requests for schedule changes are only allowed during the second week of school. The window for schedule changes begins Monday, August 19th, and ends Friday, August 23rd at the end of the school day. A request for schedule changes is not a guarantee. If your schedule change request is approved, please understand that additional changes to your classes/schedule may happen in order to maintain balanced classes and accommodate your schedule request. Changes will not be made based on teacher, period, or lunch preference. Your counselor will reach out to you when and if your schedule has been updated. Students must follow their current schedule until they are notified by a counselor of an updated schedule change in Skyward.

Dress Code:

Please consult the MISD Student Handbook for the most up-to-date dress code guidelines.

ID Badges:

For safety requirements, MISD requires all students on campus to wear identification badges around the neckline with a lanyard. New and returning students will receive a new ID which will be made in the library. All IDs will be issued by Wednesday, August 21st. Students will be required to enter the building wearing a current Howard ID. Replacement IDs will be made for each student who does not have one for a cost of $5 each. Students must wear their IDs in the building throughout the day.

Meal Deliveries:

Students are not allowed to receive food deliveries from outside sources (Uber Eats, Door Dash, Domino’s Pizza, etc.). This is a safety and security issue.

Lunch:

For the 2024-2025 school year, we highly encourage all families to complete the free and reduced meal application: FREE & REDUCED MEALS APPLICATION. Students purchasing full-cost meals will pay using SchoolCafe.

Personal Electronics Policy:

Under the Personal Electronic Communications Guidelines, all Cell Phones, Smart Watches, any type of Headphones, and other devices used to electronically communicate fall under the umbrella of personal electronic communications devices and will just be referenced as ‘cell phone.’ To promote the best possible learning and social environment in the classrooms and schools of Mansfield ISD, students will adhere to the guidelines listed below during the school day. The intent of the cell phone policy is to limit access and use of cell phones to avoid distractions from learning and the loss of instructional time.

Students are expected to keep their devices turned off and stored away during the school day. Use of personal electronic communications devices during passing periods and lunchtime are not allowed. Students who violate the campus policy will be subject to disciplinary action.

Thank you for being a member of the Howard Knights Family! We are excited and look forward to a great year with our Howard Knights Scholars.

With Joy and Gratitude,

Natasha Epps
Principal
T.A. Howard Middle School

• First Day of School...August 14
• School-Parent Compact Electronic Distribution...August 19
• Lady Knight Volleyball Tryouts...August 19-7th Grade(6:20 am-8:00 am)/8th Grade(4:15 pm-5:00 pm)
• Mandatory Football Parent Meeting...August 21...6:00 pm-7:00 pm
• Meet the Teacher...August 27...5:30 pm -7:00 pm
• Choir Parent Meeting...August 28...5:30 pm - 6:30 pm
• Labor Day Holiday...September 2
• Annual Title I Parent Meeting...September 3...10:00 am-11:00 am...TAH Library
• LifeTouch Picture Day...September 13/Makeup Day...October 16
• Student Holiday/Teacher Workday...September 20

As superintendent of schools in Mansfield ISD, Dr. Kimberley Cantu is on the go every day and sometimes well into the evening. She has the big picture of what’s happening in the district, and she’s launched a video series to keep everyone up to date. It’s called 'Catch up with Cantu.'

View the episode and join Dr. Cantu for a look at the positive things happening in MISD and a preview of what’s ahead.

Join us for Meet the Teacher Night on Tuesday, August 27 from 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm. During this time, you will have an exciting opportunity to experience Howard the way your child does by following an abbreviated version of his/her class schedule and meeting their teachers. We will be unable to print class schedules so parents make sure you know your child’s classes and the names of your child’s teachers when you arrive.

During Meet the Teacher Night, our motto Level Up! will be presented. Parents may purchase spirit wear and sign up for PTA membership ($10). In addition, parents can apply for free or reduced lunch and sign up to volunteer. Please have a look at the flyer for more details. English | Spanish

The Annual Title I Parent Meeting will begin at 5:30 pm. The purpose of the Title I Annual Parent Meeting is to provide information to parents about the Title I program and parental involvement.For parents who are unable to attend Meet the Teacher, an additional Title I Parent Meeting is scheduled for September 3 from 10:00 am -11:00 am. Location: T.A. Howard Library

• TAH Parent Home-School Compact outlines how parents, the entire school staff, and students will share the responsibility for improved student academic achievement and how the school and parents will build and develop a partnership that will help children experience success. Click on the following link to view the compact: English Spanish
  
  
• TAH Parent and Family Engagement Policy is vital to building a strong relationship with our parents. Howard believes education requires a partnership between the home and school. To encourage parental involvement, we are informing you of our Parent and Family Engagement Policy. Click on the following link to view the policy: English Spanish

The purpose of the Title I Annual Parent Meeting is to provide information to parents about the Title I program and parental involvement. For parents who are unable to attend Meet the Teacher, an additional Title I Parent Meeting is scheduled for September 3 from 10:00 am -11:00 am. Location: T.A. Howard Library

Lady Knights:

Lady Knights...Volleyball Tryouts: 24-25 Volleyball Tryout Flyer.png

Male Knights:

Please look at the attachment for details concerning the football parent meeting and equipment pick-up information to prepare students for the upcoming football season. Knights Important Dates Information.pdf

Advisory is a regularly scheduled time each day at the beginning of the 5th period. These sessions allow teachers to support and advise students on their academic goals and social-emotional development. In addition, our Advisory time will include an opportunity for students to participate in clubs of their interest.

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Welcome to Howard. I am Kelly Ballinger, RN your school nurse, and look forward to serving our students. Please call me at 682-314-1050 or email me at KellyBallinger@misdmail.org if you have any questions or concerns. We are anticipating a great year of providing care to our students.

Goodside Health.pdf

GSH_Flyer_SchoolMedRegistration_Parents_2023-24_v1.0.pdf

Mansfield Student Nutrition asks all families who qualify or think they may be eligible for the Federal Free or Reduced Meal Program to complete the application using the link below. This is a quick and secure process that provides additional benefits for families and schools. Application Here! Free or Reduced Meal Program Flyer 2024-25.pdf

Help support your child and promote academic excellence by volunteering at Howard. Please click the link to sign up and serve in an area that best fits your schedule. Students may return the volunteer form to Mrs. Bacon or their 5th Period Teacher.

Because the safety of our students and staff is our top priority, those wanting to become MISD volunteers must complete a background check before serving in the district. The online form is available here.

Level up and support T. A. Howard's PTA. You may join PTA electronically via Join PTA.

ACE Afterschool Program (Afterschool Centers on Education)

Howard Parents! Would you like your son or daughter to receive help with homework, a daily snack, learn to code (gaming), learn about cosmetology, and do yoga? Also, talk about college and career and discuss other classes. Sign him or her up for the ACE after-school program at T.A. Howard. We offer programming daily from 7:00 AM-8:15 AM and 4:15 PM-6:30 PM. All classes and activities are completely free!

Use the QR Code above to sign up or email Ms. Akem to sign up and for questions at ashleyakem@misdmail.org

Students can visit Ms. Akem in room 122 during the day. Students must have a pass to visit. Parents may contact Ms. Akem at 682-314-1129 or ashleyakem@misdmail.org for registration inquiries. *Parents must provide transportation

Parents, please see the attachment for step-by-step instructions explaining how to navigate Skyward.

Skyward How To English .pdf

Skyward How To Spanish.pdf

To ensure the safety of our students and to provide an efficient drop-off and pick-up process, we are informing you of the following procedures:

Car Drop-Off/Pick-Up Procedures

Morning Car Drop-Off

• Morning drop-off is located in the front of the building. Doors open and supervision begins at 8:15 a.m. Some students are dropped off earlier than that and wait on the front porch. We do not have supervision at that time and encourage parents to not drop off before then if that’s at all possible.
• All three lanes are moving lanes, so continue to pull up, allowing traffic to flow smoothly to avoid congestion.
• Vehicles should approach in single file lines and release students directly to the sidewalk in the designated drop-off zone.
• Staff will be present to help assist students exiting vehicles in a safe and orderly manner. Please do not park in any of the lanes.
• Parents wishing to park vehicles must park in the designated parking spaces or on the grass.
• Families may walk students to the front door, but not to class. We’ll take care of them and get them to the right place.

Afternoon Car Pick-Up

• Afternoon pick-up is located in the front of the building. Classes are dismissed at 4:15 pm.
• The two outside lanes are available for parking pick-up only. Vehicles should approach in single file lines using the two outside lanes to pick up students.
• Continue to pull up, allowing traffic to flow smoothly to avoid congestion on Calendar Road and a safe departure of buses at the south entrance.
• Exit the pick-up lanes by using the center lane - it is the moving lane so continue to pull up allowing traffic to flow smoothly to avoid congestion on Calendar Road and allow buses to arrive in an orderly manner at the north entrance
• Staff will be present to help assist with student pick-up. Please do not park in any of the lanes.
• Parents wishing to park vehicles must park in the designated parking spaces or on the grass. Please do not park in any of the lanes.
• Parking for pick-up is not permitted at the stop signs or in the parking spaces located north and south of the building.

Bus Drop-Off/Pick-Up Procedures

Morning Bus Drop-Off

• Students who arrive by bus in the mornings will be dropped off at the back of the campus. Students will be directed to the cafeteria or gym until class begins.

Afternoon Bus Pick-Up

• Students who ride the bus home will be picked up at the back of the campus when their bus arrives.