Hawk Highlights October

Dear Hamburg Area Middle School Families and Community Members,

As we welcome November, I want to take a moment to reflect on the positive things happening at Hamburg Area Middle School and the many opportunities our students have to grow, connect, and make a difference in our school community.

One of our biggest goals this year is to encourage every student to fully immerse themselves in the middle school experience. School is about so much more than what happens inside the classroom. It is about building relationships, developing character, discovering interests, and finding ways to contribute to something bigger than ourselves. Whether students are participating in spirit days, joining clubs and activities, supporting their classmates, or simply making positive choices each day, we want them to feel connected to our school and take pride in being a Hawk.

We continue to challenge our students to become better versions of themselves academically, socially, and behaviorally. Our HawkFest Cup competition has been a great way to reinforce these expectations while building school spirit and a sense of teamwork. Through positive behavior, strong attendance, academic achievement, and school participation, students have opportunities to earn points for their teams. The message is simple: every student can contribute to their team's success by showing up, working hard, treating others with respect, and making good decisions.

We recently had an especially fun opportunity to celebrate positive behavior when Team Courage earned the chance to pie the principal! This reward recognized students for their outstanding efforts and positive choices. While the students certainly enjoyed seeing their principal covered in pie, the bigger celebration was recognizing that doing the right thing matters. We look forward to creating more memorable experiences that reward students for their efforts and encourage them to continue making positive contributions to our school.

As Thanksgiving approaches, November also gives us an opportunity to reflect on gratitude. We have so much to be thankful for at Hamburg Area Middle School, including our dedicated staff, supportive families, and, most importantly, the students who make our school community special. I encourage our students to take time this month to recognize the people who support them, show appreciation through their words and actions, and look for opportunities to demonstrate kindness toward others.

We also look forward to connecting with families during our upcoming parent-teacher conferences. These conferences provide a valuable opportunity to celebrate student successes, discuss areas for growth, and strengthen the partnership between home and school. Please be on the lookout for information about conference scheduling and how to sign up.

Finally, I encourage our families to consider becoming more involved in our school through our Parent Teacher Organization (PTO). The PTO plays an important role in supporting our students, staff, and school activities. Whether you are able to attend meetings, volunteer your time, or support PTO-sponsored events and initiatives, your involvement helps strengthen our school community. We appreciate everyone who contributes to making Hamburg Area Middle School a great place for students to learn and grow.

Thank you for your continued support and partnership. I am proud of the positive momentum we are building and excited to see our students continue to grow throughout the school year. Together, we can make sure every student feels connected, valued, and motivated to succeed.

Wishing you and your families a wonderful Thanksgiving season!

Sincerely,

Hamburg Area Middle School Administration

😃😀😀😀😀😀😀😀

🏅🏅🏅🏅🏅🏅🏅🏅

We love celebrating students who are making positive choices each day. That’s what our High-Flying Hawks program is all about!

Students who maintain zero demerits are randomly selected to earn the title of “High-Flying Hawk.” As a reward, they’re invited to enjoy a pizza lunch with the assistant principal and go home with a bag full of goodies to recognize their hard work and dedication.

This program is our way of shining a spotlight on students who consistently show respect, responsibility, and kindness in and out of the classroom. We are so proud of our Hawks who set the bar high and inspire others to do the same!

6th Grade: Gavin Barrett

7th Grade: Layla Lash & Savanna Neider

8th Grade: Tia Plummer & Gabriel Luckenbill

**Reminder - No Breakfast on 2 Hour Delay Days**

HawkFest Cup – October Update!

The HawkFest Cup competition continues to build school spirit, encourage positive choices, and reward students for attendance, academics, and involvement in our school community.

Spirit Week participation played a huge role in October's point totals, as students showed their school pride and earned valuable points for their teams!

Congratulations to Team Courage, our October Behavior Champion, for earning an additional 100 points and the opportunity to pie the principal!

Looking ahead, November's Attendance Champion will earn a HUGE reward, and plenty of points are still up for grabs as students earn Honor Roll and Distinguished Honor Roll recognition. The competition is just getting started!

Every day counts. Every point matters. Every Hawk soars.

The HAMS Student Council would like honor our Veterans again this November with a “Wall of Honor.”

Click the link below to find the paper we would like students to return to honor veterans they know. This can be family or friends.

There are three ways to participate.

1: Print the paper and hand write out the information and add a picture. Have your student return it to the office or Mrs. Young (8th Grade Social Studies.)

2. Digitally create your submission and email it back to Mrs. Young: saryou@hasdhawks.org

3. Email a picture and the requested information to Mrs. Young (saryou@hasdhawks.org) and student council will create the submission and place it on the wall.

Thank you for your support,

8th Grade Student Council

Our School Counselors, Mr. Stramara and Mrs. Pishock, have completed their initial introduction meetings with each 6th grade student

Marking period 1 has concluded and Report Cards will be going home on Wednesday 11/4.

Our Counselors will now be coordinating for the visit of Mrs. Del Conte, the HASD Career Specialist, to present Career Education Lessons via The Smart Futures Program to our 6th grade students on 11/10 and 11/11. Any students who are absent on these dates and miss these lessons will make them up at a later date with Mr. Stramara and Mrs. Pishock. The other grade levels will receive their career lessons in the coming months. These lessons are part of each student's PA 339 Plan, which is required as part of the Pennsylvania Education Standards.

This year marks the 12th anniversary of the Hamburg ski and snowboard club! It is available to Middle School students in grades 6-8.

If you have any other questions concerning this exciting opportunity, you may email Mr. Geisinger at joegei@hasdhawks.org.

Team Courage Pies the Principal!

Spirit Days!

Student Potluck!

Book Fair Raffle Winners!