HMMS Newsletter

Student-led conferences are coming up! Students and staff have been working hard on (PLPs) to prepare to share students’ learning, progress, and goals with you.

This week, our sixth-grade students will participate in team-building activities focused on getting to know one another, communicating respectfully, managing frustration, and working together to accomplish a shared task.

Each activity will be followed by reflection, giving students an opportunity to discuss what worked, how they responded to challenges, and how they can use these skills in their classrooms and everyday interactions.

This newsletter also includes important information about transportation, supervision, and participation expectations for after-school events and extracurricular activities on the middle school and high school campuses. Please take a few minutes to review these procedures with your child.

• School begins at 8:20 a.m.
• Students should arrive no later than 8:15 a.m.
• Doors open at 7:50 a.m.
• Breakfast is available in the cafeteria beginning at 7:50 a.m.
• Please do not drop students off before 7:50 a.m., as supervision is unavailable.
• Students are dismissed at 2:50 p.m.
• Please do not block driveways.

HMMS students, and community volunteers helped stack four cords of wood for an elderly couple recovering from surgery. This group has participated in similar service projects and has more planned this fall! If you would like to help or know someone in our community who needs assistance, contact Mrs. Potter at potterj@hartfordschools.net.

Cooking elective students have been busy making pizza, banana oatmeal pancakes, and zucchini fritters!

GXRLS STEM club, sponsored by SPARK of Dartmouth, will have its first meeting on Friday, October 16th from 3:30-5:00 pm. This popular club is free of charge, and is open to all girls and nonbinary students at HMMS. This year's theme will be "Science Detectives" and we will explore topics such as the Scientific Method, Chemistry, and the Laws of Physics. Click here for our fall meeting dates and complete this sign up form by Wednesday, October 14th to sign your student up. We will reach out to you before our first meeting with more information once we have received the sign up form.

Please reach out to Mrs. Dixon at dixond@hartfordschools.net if you have any questions.

During our October 9 in-service day, staff participated in CPR and AED training. Thank you to the Hartford Fire Department for providing the training, our school nurse Suzy Walker for coordinating it, and the staff who volunteer on our cardiac response team!

Thank you to our partners at Hartford Community Coalition! Education and Projects Coordinator Keisha Desnoyers worked with health classes this past week, sharing Stanford’s You and Me Vape Free curriculum with sixth graders and the Stanford Cannabis Toolkit with eighth graders.

• October 12: No school.

• October 15: Getting to Y field trip to Montpelier.

• October 16: First GXRLS STEM Club meeting, 3:30–5:00 p.m.

• October 19: Late start, 10:20 a.m.

• November 2: Early release and student-led conferences.

• November 3: No school; student-led conferences.

• November 4: OVX field trip to Lake Morey Resort.

• November 11: No school.

• November 25–27: No school.

• November 30: First day of basketball practice.

• December 14: Late start, 10:20 a.m.

• December 21–January 1: No school.

• January 18–19: No school.

• February 5 at 6 p.m. and February 6 at 1 p.m.: Drama Club performances of The Sound of Murder

Drama Club: Thursday mornings for students in grades 6–8. Students are preparing the one-act production The Sound of Murder for February performances.

Glee Club: Wednesday mornings before school for chorus members in grades 6–8.

Jazz Band: Friday mornings before school for select band members.

GXRLS STEM Club: Sponsored by SPARK of Dartmouth, this free club is open to all girls and nonbinary students at HMMS. Our first meeting is Friday, October 16, from 3:30–5:00 p.m. This year’s theme, “Science Detectives,” includes the scientific method, chemistry, and the laws of physics.

Please complete the registration form by Wednesday, October 14. View the fall meeting dates. Families will receive additional information before the first meeting. Questions? Contact Mrs. Dixon at dixond@hartfordschools.net.

Tennis Club: Mondays during sixth-grade recess.

Student Government Association: Fridays during advisory.

Student Council: First Friday of each month.

PRIDE: Fridays during advisory.

Art Club: Wednesdays from 3:00–4:30 p.m. in the art room with Mrs. Potter.

OVX: This youth substance-use prevention group meets Tuesdays during recess in the health classroom with Keisha from Hartford Community Coalition. A field trip to Lake Morey Resort is planned for November 4. Contact keishad@hccvt.org for information.

Getting to Y: The prevention group has a field trip to Montpelier on October 15. Contact Mrs. Potter at potterj@hartfordschools.net to sign up.

Have an Idea for a Club?
See Mr. Nardone for the paperwork and find a staff member to sponsor your proposed club or activity.

Additionally, here are some important links that will be helpful to you throughout this school year:

• Infinite Campus (Please sign in to check/ update Information)
• 26/27 Calendar
• HMMS Website
• Bus Routes Link
• Athletics

Online and Social Media Safety
We have received reports of inappropriate student behavior online, including on social media and computers. Please talk with your child about respectful communication and safe technology use. These resources may help:

• Screenagers Screen Safety

• Parents’ Guide to Smartphone Safety

• Social Media Safety for Teens

If you need support or are concerned about your child, contact Annmarie Hall, school counselor for Nebula, Eclipse, and Phoenix; Will McDonald, school counselor for Atlas and Polaris; or Patrick Lincoln, Dean of Students.

Counseling Support
Explore our counseling resources for youth and families.

Holiday Gift Assistance
Hartford Norwich Holiday Basket Helpers is accepting referrals for families who need assistance providing Christmas gifts for their children. Visit Holiday Basket Helpers for information or complete the referral form for yourself or a family you know.

Dartmouth Alliance for Children of Color
DACC hosts activities for BIPOC youth and their families. Join the DACC listserv to receive invitations to upcoming events.

HMMS and Student Council Merchandise
Our merchandise store closes October 11 at 11:59 p.m. Proceeds support HMMS Student Council and the events students have planned for this year.

Shop the HMMS merchandise store.

Wrapping Paper, Cookies & Goodies Fundraiser
Student Council’s annual fundraiser is underway through November 6, 2026! Purchases support Student Council events. Ask a Student Council representative about ordering and helping them earn prizes for their efforts.

You can also order online for delivery to your home.

Dances, Student Council activities, and athletic games are great opportunities for students to connect and have fun! I am sharing some expectations that will help keep these events safe and welcoming for everyone.

For dances, Student Council events, and other HMMS-sponsored after-school activities, please arrange transportation for both drop-off and pick-up. Students must be picked up and will not be permitted to walk home. Please review the plan with your child and arrive at the scheduled pick-up time. If transportation has not been arranged, chaperones will contact guardians to coordinate a ride.

For athletic events, HMMS students attending as spectators must have an adult with them throughout the event. This includes games on the HMMS campus and Hartford High School events. With limited staff on duty, we rely on families to supervise their children while enjoying the game together.

Behavior expectations to participate.. Student teams and building administration may review incidents from the two weeks before an event when considering participation. Major incidents or repeated behaviors may affect a student’s ability to attend, and families will be notified. Behavioral incidents at an event may also affect attendance at future athletic or after-school events.

Thank you for reviewing these expectations with your child and helping make our school events positive experiences for all!

Cody TanCreti

Principal HMMS

tancretic@hartfordschools.net