Hero Headlines HMS Staff News

Reflecting on this season of thankfulness, I want to share how grateful I am for each of you. This is the hardest-working staff I've worked with, and I want to make sure that I am being the best leader for you. With that being said, I want to make some commitments to you (below). Also, I am very open to feedback, and I sincerely appreciate those who have given me the good and bad! Please stop by. If my doors are shut, I'm probably on a rolling cart in the hallway. Just start yelling my name, and I'll follow the voice (kidding).

Continued Focus on our Mission: We ensure the success of ALL students through personal academic growth, high learning expectations, and character development in a safe and supportive school community.

1. I am aware that over the last few weeks that we have had several interruptions to the academic school day. Some of them were necessary but a few were not. Lots of events just landed at the same time. Moving forward, we will look at each event through the lens of if it aligns with our mission.
2. You all live out the mission DAILY! We want to start intentionally celebrating this. If you see a co-worker doing something AMAZING, can you let me know (send pics if you can), so we can celebrate what's happening with the entire staff.

Continued Focus on our Vision: Pursuing Excellence...One HERO at a Time!

1. Our focus for the past many years has been getting into the top 5%, and we MADE IT. However, our focus remains the same....get into the top 5% for growth AGAIN. We have received awards for growth two other times (according to the banners), but we have never maintained it for more than one year. We don't want this to be a one and done for the top 5% of growth. Our focus for the next time we are all together (December 3rd) is what are the small moves that make us who we are...HEROES....and do what we do...One HERO at a time? Please be thinking about what those are for you, your team, and our school. One example, that I've noticed is our focus on reading during Primetime. That has a huge, significant impact.

As we wrap up the first semester, I would love to meet with as many of you as possible to get feedback about my leadership for this first semester and things you would like to see continue or change for this semester. Honest feedback is how I get better, so if you have time, please use this link to schedule a meeting with me.

1. Here is the list of students who will be attending the Youth Leadership Town Hall at Crystal Bridges on Monday, December 1. Students will need to report to the office at 8:30. There will not be an all-call. The students should know where and when to report.

2. on December 5th, Band Pictures--Baritone & Tuba classes will be pulled for pictures during Hero Hour. There will be an all-call. All other pictures will take place during band class.

3. Thursday, December 11 will be instructional rounds during your FLEX period. If you would like to volunteer to have people visit your classroom that day please fill out this form. Thank you for volunteering! We always learn so much when we visit other classrooms!

4. HMS Student Council is hosting a food drive the week we get back from break Dec 1 - Dec 5. The advisory that brings the most canned food items will win a hot chocolate bar the Friday before Christmas break!

1. I hope you have a wonderful, relaxing break!

I know there is a CRAZY amount of things to keep up with. I hope this section will help make that a little easier for you

1. Watch HNN News (will be updated by Monday)
2. If it is your week, please add your questions to this spreadsheet during the Wednesday dates listed on the left for your subject.
3. Check FRD Each day!

Click here to see our 15 days of December dress up days for teachers. Encourage students to join us on FRIDAYS ONLY.

NEW HMS monthly teacher meet up: This is not school-sponosred/funded. A few of us just thought it would be fun to meet up after school. I remember at the start of the year several teachers mentioned how you don't often see others from different grade levels. December 17th @ 4:30 (after faculty meeting) at Las Palmas. RSVP so I can reserve enough seats for us!

Is anyone interested in serving one of our Heroes that is currently on homebound services? It would pay in addition to your regular salary. Please let Mr. Sennett know. Thank you

If you are interested, let Karen J.. know. More info here.

Description: Point of contact (Capacity Builder)

A designated staff point of contact for students in grades 6th –9th plays a key role in early college, career, and enlistment awareness. They help students explore interests through career assessments, introduce foundational planning tools, and guide them in understanding how course choices connect to future opportunities. They also serve as a bridge for families, offering resources, hosting info sessions, and connecting them with support services. Most importantly, they build relationships that help students feel seen, supported, and prepared to make informed choices as they transition into high school. These points of contact will receive support and develop understandings from their high school feeder Empowerment Team.

Compensation for “off contract time”

$500 1/1/26 - 6/31/26

($30/ hour and $35 hour) 12 hours during school year and 4 hours in summer

• 1/12, 2/9, 3/9, 4/13, 5/11, - 4:30 - 5:30 (zoom team meetings) = 5 hours

• Parent University and Parent Info Night (planning and contact time - self guided) = 3 hours

• Off - contract - Parent Contact, Planning, Professional Development, Student Contact (self-guided) = 4 hours

• Summer/June PD, Planning, Meeting with Empower Teams = 4 hours

Timecards will be submitted to slyons@sdale.org

*Option to continue work year 2 ($500 each semester)

As a reminder, a student’s pacing in Empower is based on the following criterion:

> 5% behind the planning tab = Behind Pace

Within 5% +/- of the planning tab = On Pace

> 5% ahead of the planning tab = Ahead of Pace

Click here for reference

This is a GREAT article about the importance of rigor in the classroom. Please take a few minutes to read the article Teaching Up.

The following staff/students received a My Hero Awards this week!

Abby Faughn

Avi Dilks

Kase Smith

Ara Hernandez Baduria

Aleanet Benitez

Jaxten Myers

Lennox Berckefeldt

Kennedy Onstott

Justin Diaz

Dec 1 - 5- Samaritan Center canned food drive

December 5th: Band pictures

December 9th- Hate the Vape in Health class

December 11th- SOS Instructional Rounds

December 15th- Amazing Shake 8-10:30 (RESCHEDULED-NEW DATE COMING SOON)

December 17th- 7th math and 6th ELA interims

December 17th- Faculty Meeting

December 18th- 6th Science and 7th Science interims

December 19th- Incentive Day

December 19th- End of 2nd Q

January 5th- 3rd Q

January 6th- 6th math and 7th ELA interims

January 7th- 6th and 7th Writing interims

January 7th- Faculty Meeting

January 12th- Interim make-ups

January 15th- SOS Engagement strategies

January 21st-Faculty Meeting

January 28th- Crystal Bridges Training 3 during CTM

February 4th- Faculty Meeting

February 12th- SOS on discussion/questioning strategies

February 17th- BMI/Scoliosis Screening 8:00

February 18th- Faculty Meeting

February 23rd- Author Visit- Dusti Bowling 12-3:30

February 26th- Crystal Bridges Steering Committee Capacity will go to Crystal Bridges

Website: http://hellstern.sdale.org/
Location: 7771 Har-Ber Avenue, Springdale, AR, USA
Phone: 479-750-8725
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Hellstern-Middle-School