HAWK TALK

Friday, August 7th, 2026

CALENDAR AT A GLANCE

September 1 - HBMS Spirit Night at Hooligan's 5-10 PM

September 7 - Labor Day No School

September 17- Annual Title I Meeting & Family Curriculum Night

September 21-25: Fall Break (No school for students)

C lick here for the FCS School Calendar 2026-27

School Hours and Important Times

Office Hours: 8:15 - 4:15

Instructional Hours: 8:55-4:05

Arrival: Please do not drop off students prior to 8:25 AM. We cannot provide supervision of students prior to 8:25, therefore students may not enter until this time.

Breakfast: 8:25 - 8:50 AM

Morning Announcement: 8:50 AM (Students should be in class by this time)

Dismissal is at 4:05 PM.

Checkouts end at 3:45 PM to prepare for dismissal.

Walkers/Car riders are dismissed first, followed by bus riders.

Bus students are dismissed in the order that buses arrive.

Car line: Students must enter/exit a vehicle at the sidewalk area. Please pull forward as far as possible to keep the car line moving. All students must be picked up by 4:25 PM.

Take the 95% to Thrive Attendance Challenge!

Attending school every day is one of the most important ways students can succeed. Our "95% to Thrive" campaign encourages students to attend school at least 95 percent of the time, helping them stay on track academically, build meaningful relationships, and stay connected to their school community. By making attendance a priority, families can help students build strong habits that support learning throughout the school year.

What families can do:

Strive to miss 8 or less days the entire school year.
Aim for 2 or less absences per quarter.
Request to use "Participate Remotely" days. Each student may use up to 5 days per semester that will not count against their attendance record (if work is made up).
Email the school office at HolcombAttendance@fultonschools.org to request a "Participate Remotely" Day or submit an excuse for an absence. Attendance notes may also be provided in person at the office.

Parents and Guardians will be notified regularly when students are absent whether the absent it excused or unexcused:

Middle/High School messages begin going out around 4:30 p.m. on the day of the absence.
If your student is absent or misses one or more periods of the school day, they will be marked with absent in our attendance system, and you will receive an automated phone call and email message to the designated contact info you provided in Infinite Campus. This includes excused absences that are approved in advance.
Errors can occur and if you feel you received a phone call by mistake, contact your school front office to verify that your student’s attendance record is accurate.
If your student's absence was unexpected, please remember to contact your child’s school by sending in a note or email so the absence can be marked "excused" in the system.

Volunteer for Device Distribution

We are still in need of parent volunteer help for device distribution on Monday, 8/10 (7th grade) and Tuesday, 8/11. If you're able to volunteer for any of the available time slots, please sign up at the link provided. Thank you!

Back to School Resources for Parents

Volunteer in our School Library!

We are looking for parent volunteers in our school library to help keep our teacher supports and student opportunities open-- this can include clerical help with things like weekly printing and laminating tasks, library maintenance with shelving, organizing, and straightening books and materials, or creative expression with display curation, sewing and makerspace support, and more.

Please email Ms. Keown at KeownL@fultonschools.org if you are interested in helping out in the school library this year, and we'll get you added to our parent volunteer communication list. Thank you!

STEM & MakerSpace Creativity

Readers, Readers Everywhere

Instructional Collaboration

Car Dropoff and Pickup

Thanks for helping us keep morning dropoff and afternoon pick up a safe experience! Here are some driver expectations to keep the line moving quickly while maintaining safety for our students and staff:

Always pull your vehicle forward as far as possible to make room for multiple vehicles to drop off/pick up. This moves the line more quickly. During afternoon pickup, your student will come to your car at your stopping point in the line.
Students may only enter and exit the vehicle at the sidewalk. We do not allow students to enter the roadway or cross the parking lot to meet a driver.
In the afternoon, drivers should circle through the upper parking lot. This makes more room for cars to enter the campus and reduces the traffic line on Holcomb Bridge Road.
When it is raining, we will only move vehicles forward to the edge of the awning over the sidewalk. This will allow students to stay under cover on their way to/from their car.
Our special needs buses drop off and load at the stop sign. Please watch for the buses and use caution when exiting the campus.

Thank you for your support and feel free to ask any of our staff for clarification.

Celebrate Fido Friday Every Week!

Every Friday, your family pup is invited to join the morning drop-off fun! Pull up with your four-legged co-pilot, and we'll have a tail-wagging treat waiting just for them. Warning: your dog may start insisting on attending school every day!

Please Support our PTA!

We are very thankful for the support of our parent leaders through the PTA. We encourage every family and staff member to join the PTA each year. Your membership supports additional student and staff programs including student and staff celebrations, field trips, classroom supplies and innovations, improving our campus, and much more. Supporting the PTA begins with paying your annual membership - we hope you will take this first step!

Click here to join the PTA for just $15. You will need to create an account with Totem, if you are a first-time user. You can also use this site to get information about being a volunteer, donate the Hawk Fund, and become a community partner.

Donate to the Hawk Fund!

Make a TAX-DEDUCTIBLE donation to Holcomb Bridge MS PTA

100% of your Hawk Fund donation sponsors supplemental programs for the teachers and students at Holcomb Bridge Middle School such as:

Teacher and Staff Support

Volunteer support
Classroom start-up supply funds
Academic program grants
Teacher appreciation and hospitality events monthly
Technology and Media Center Support
Building & Grounds Upkeep

Student Programs and Activities

Academic clubs
On and off-site field trips
Seminars and activities
Support for students and families facing economic challenges
Multi-Cultural Community Engagement Events

Hawk Fund Donation Levels

Diamond -$225

- Two reserved seats at one HBMS event (ex: awards day, band/chorus/orchestra concerts)

- Student birthday shout out on the digital sign facing Holcomb Bridge Rd

Platinum $175

- Student birthday shout out on the digital sign facing Holcomb Bridge Rd

Gold $125

Silver $75

Bronze $25

Bell Schedule

We operate on a modified block schedule. Students attend all classes on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays (A Day) for 45 minutes each. On Wednesdays and Thursdays, students attend only four classes but for an extended period of 80 minutes each.

4th period Flex is daily. Students rotate between lunch, recess, and time for The FCS Student Success Skills curriculum and/or academic practice. See the specific times for each grade level below.

On Wednesdays, we have an extra class (9th period) which is designed to foster engagement and academic growth. Students will be introduced to organizational skills, advisement lessons, goal setting and reflection strategies, and personalized independent practice of academic skills. We also use this period for required assessments such as iReady and other special learning activities.

Student Device (Laptop) Information

FCS teachers and students use a variety of digital resources to enhance learning in the classroom, including Microsoft Office, ClassLink, Canvas, digital textbooks, and many other resources and study tools. Students will be issued a laptop for academic use during the school year. Students are expected to abide by the device user agreement while the laptop is issued to them. Please take time to read the FCS Student & Parent Device Handbook for important information. For Spanish, please see the attached PDF.

Laptops will be issued to students August 7-11 during the school day.

7th Grade - Monday, August 10

6th Grade - Tuesday, August 11

The parent/guardian is responsible for the cost of repair or replacement if a device or its accessories are damaged, not returned, lost, or stolen. The district provides parents/guardians the opportunity to purchase the optional device protection plan to limit the out-of-pocket cost to repair or replace damaged devices. The details of this can be found in the Optional Device Protection Plan portion of the FCS Student & Parent Device Handbook (pg. 10). Parents may enroll in Optional Device Protection Plan when you complete the Online Census Verification in the Infinite Campus Parent Portal. See the section below for more details on accessing the Online Census Verification.

pdf

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FCS 26-27 Student Device One-to-One Handbook - Spanish.pdf

Download

3.3 MB

Verify Household and Emergency Contact Information

All families are required to log in to the Infinite Campus Parent Portal and verify emergency contacts and household information. This ensures that schools can contact you quickly and appropriately in case of an emergency. Each student must have at least one emergency contact who is not a parent or guardian.

To begin the verification process, click here. You will also be able to opt in to the device (laptop) protection plan during this process.

School Breakfast/Lunch Accounts

If you would like your child to have money on his/her account for breakfast, lunch, and/or snack purchases, visit My School Bucks to set up your account. Parents may also elect to limit extra snack purchases with the money on the account.

Cafeteria meal charges are not allowed in middle/high school. Students with a zero balance on their account may be given a courtesy meal. Breakfast - cheese toast/milk; lunch - cheese sandwich/milk.

A new Free/Reduced meal application must be completed every school year. Only one application is required per family, even if your children attend different schools. If there is an interruption in benefits or the household does not reapply, the household is responsible for payment of meals until the Free and Reduced Application is approved. Visit https://www2.myschoolapps.com/

to begin the online application process. Free and Reduced meal applications will be available beginning July 25.

Students who qualified for Free/Reduced meals last school year will continue eligibility through September 14. After this date, parents must pay for meals until a new application is submitted and approved for the current school year.

Households that qualify for reduced meals will not be required to pay the reduced price due to GaDOE funding that will be used to cover these costs.

2026-27 Meal Prices

Middle School Student Breakfast = $1.85

Middle School Student Lunch = $3.35

Middle School Student Premium Lunch $3.85 (these items will be noted on published menus)

Extra Milk = $0.75

Adult Lunch = $5.25

Menus and additional meal service information available on the FCS Nutrition Website.

Deliveries for Students During the School Day

We understand that sometimes students forget an item or a parent wishes to drop off lunch. We do not interrupt instruction for forgotten items.

· Items should be placed on the table just inside the front door (not at the front office desk).

· Items should be clearly marked with the student’s first and last name (paper will be provided).

· If your student calls/emails you for an item, please remind them to periodically check the item pick up table.

· Students will NOT be called out of class, nor will the class be interrupted to deliver food or personal items (exceptions for glasses/medication).

· Students are not permitted to wait for a delivery to be made.

· Students can pick up their item(s) between classes or during the lunch period but are still responsible for getting to class on time (no passes will be issued for tardies).

· Students are not allowed to order DoorDash, UberEats, Instacart, or any other food delivery during school hours. Parents may send/bring lunch for their own child, but it must be eaten during the student's designated lunch period.

We know there are occasional emergencies, and we will work with those on an individual basis. If a student forgets their lunch, they just need to let an adult know and our administration will assist.

Residency Verification - ALL 6th and 7th grade students

Per FCS policy, parents/guardians of ALL students entering 6th and 7th grade must provide two proofs of residency at the beginning of the school year.

You can bring these documents with you to open house on July 30.

Families who have not submitted the required documents by August 3 (first day of school) will be given a 30-day provisional enrollment waiver. Failure to submit residency verification could result in withdrawal from school.

Requirements for residency verification documents:

Both proofs provided must be current within the past 30 days and have the name and address of the parent/guardian.

Proof #1 must be either an electric bill or water bill.
NOTE: Gas bills are not accepted.

The Proof #2 can be any one of the following:

Home Mortgage Bill;
Home Sale Contract;
Current Apartment/House Lease;
Section Eight/HUD Housing Document;
Current HOA Bill; or
A current year tax bill or assessment

Immunization Requirements - 7th Grade Students (and NEW to Georgia Grade 8)

In Georgia, all children born on or after January 1, 2002, who are attending seventh grade, and children who are new entrants into a Georgia school in grades eight through twelve, must have received:

1 dose of Tdap (Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis) vaccine
1 dose of Meningococcal Conjugate (MCV4) vaccine

To fulfill immunization requirements. Immunization information must be on the proper Georgia Department of Human Resources form; these are available through the Fulton County Department of Health and Wellness or local physicians (Form 3231).

Religious Exemptions: If your family is seeking a religious exemption from immunization, the Affidavit of Religious Objection to Immunization (Form 2208) must be completed and submitted. This form is available on the Georgia Department of Public Health website: https://dph.georgia.gov/schoolvaccines or at our school.

Visit https://dph.georgia.gov/schoolvaccines for more information or contact Ansel Comer at comera@fultonschools.org (bilingual/Spanish).

School Clinic/ Medication Information

Does your child have a medical condition, allergies, or need to take medication during the school day? Our school clinic can assist with care plans and medication management. Forms are required to be updated and on file annually in order for students to take medication at school.

Prescription medication: requires a doctor to fill out and sign a portion of the form.

Over the counter medication requires a parent signature on the form (for example, Advil, Tylenol, Benadryl, Cold/Allergy medication, etc.). Parents must provide the medication to the clinic.

Stop by the clinic during Open House to pick up forms that are required for medication to be given or carried at school.

FCA Begins August 14!

FCA will begin meeting on Friday, August 14 at 8:00 AM in the chorus room. If you would like to sign up to be a guest speaker or provide breakfast for the group, please use this Sign-Up Genius.

Extramural Sports Information

FCS Middle Schools offer an extramural sports program for students in grades 7 and 8. These are competitive team programs designed to instill lessons in sportsmanship, teamwork, time management, leading, success both in and out of the classroom. Please read the attached information regarding expectations for participation on extramural teams. Coach Kanter will be available to answer any questions during open house.

Extramural sports include the following sports and are open to both boys and girls:

Soccer (first sport- tryouts in August!)
Volleyball
Tennis
Gymnastics
Basketball
Track and Field

pdf

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HBMS Extramural Expectations .pdf

HBMS Extramural Expectations Spanish.pdf

Download

3.9 MB

Soccer Tryouts!!

Soccer tryouts will be held on Mon, Aug 17 at 7:30am on the field behind the school.

All 7th & 8th grade girls and boys are welcome to tryout. All sports physicals must be uploaded into Rank One prior to tryouts and approved by Coach Kanter.

In addition, any student wishing to tryout must have passed all classes in the Spring of 2026. Please see or email Coach Kanter with questions:

kanterll@fultonschools.org

A $30 participation fee will be assessed for students who successfully make the team. This fee helps support equipment, uniforms, and program expenses. Additional payment details will be provided once teams have been finalized.

Need Help with Food Assitance?

JR Knights Cross Country

Centennial High School is again offering a junior knights cross country team for fall 2026. If your student might be interested, please review the information sheet in this link and/or complete the information form to be contacted by Coach Patrick Weigand (weigand@fultonschools.org)

jr knights XC parent information.docx

JR Knights Cross Country Interest Form – Fill out form