April

• 1-5 NO SCHOOL-Spring Break

• 8-Welcome Back-Track Begins, 3:00

• 11-Cub Club Meeting: 6:00 pm

HMS Library

• 12-3rd Quarter Ends

1:15 Early Release

• 15-4th Quarter Begins

• 19-1:15 Early Release

• 26-1:15 Early Release

• 29-May 3- Science Testing for 8th Grade

* Track and Field Schedule will not be out until the 1st week of the season. We will get that out as soon as it is available

Wishing you all a great Spring Break, April 1-5. A reminder that the HMS Office will be closed during those dates.

The 8th-grade Knowledge Bowl team is being recognized for their exceptional work ethic and wide knowledge base. Beyond their impressive academic achievements, the team's unwavering commitment to sportsmanship and seamless teamwork has set them apart, earning them accolades for their exemplary conduct both in and out of the competition rooms at Grays Harbor College. They are particularly impressive as each week they are having to leave the meet early, missing the final round, and they are still consistently placing in the top three most weeks.

HMS will be taking part in Testing through the month of May. All students in grades 6, 7, and 8 will be taking the Smarter Balanced Assessments in Reading, Writing, and Math. Students in 8th Grade will also be taking the Science Assessment. The testing schedule is as follows:

• April 29-May 3: 8th Grade Science Testing
• May 6-10: 6, 7, 8 ELA Testing (Reading and Writing)
• May 13-17: 6, 7, and 8 Math Testing
• Testing Makeups will occur May 20-31.

Do you REALLY know who walks the halls of HMS? Here are some amazing facts about our staff at HMS!

• Mr. Templer had a summer job fighting Grizzly bears in the circus while he was in college! He had to quit because the bears complained he was too rough.
• Mr. Pelan Jr was once a professional WWE wrestler who trained with wrestlers such as Bryan Danielson (who is from Aberdeen) and John Cena, when they came to visit Grays Harbor County about 10 years ago. He now travels the world during the summer time going to all the events and sometimes getting involved with the wrestlers in the crowd because WWE still gives him royalty checks for $10,000 every year. His wife was also a part of the pro wrestling business as an in ring announcer, introducing the wrestlers as they come to the ring for multiple pro wrestling companies
  
• Ms. Hara won 2nd Place in the Barrel Racing Event at the 1989 National Pro Rodeo in Las Vegas! There was some controversy as the winning horse and rider were accused of using performance enhancing hay before the competition.
• Ms. Glasgow was a backup backup dancer for Beyonce's first tour! She sadly was never able to get on the stage, as Beyonce did not like being shown up by her backup dancer. Such a diva...
• Speaking of backups, few here realize that Mr. Rogers is a musical genius. During the 1970's he actually was a backup singer for Earth, Wind, and Fire (Google them). They had to fire him because he insisted that they put his stage name "Mecha-Godzilla" into the band name on their album, and they didn't think "Earth, Wind, Fire, and Mecha-Godzilla" was something that rolled off the tongues of record buyers very well.
• Mr. Cook began his career on the professional surfing circuit in the mid-80's under the name "Dunkin' Bruh" before a collision with a seagull, then a pier brought his dreams of surfing greatness to a quick end. If you go to the Santa Monica pier in California today, you can still see the Mr. Cook shaped dent in one of the pier pilings.
• Ms. Taylor isn't royalty. But she has changed some royal diapers! In her younger years she actually served as one of the Royal Nannies in Windsor Palace for the English Royal Family. She craved a more exciting job, however, and returned to America to work in public education!
• Ms. Krohn actually spends her summers in Australia where she teaches middle school students reading at the Sydney Zoo. One of the cool programs she heads down there is having students read to the wallabies, to get them excited about reading! Wallaby Reading scores have increased significantly.
• Dr.. Kaufman is an avid outdoorsy person. She once hiked to the top of Mt. St. Helens. It erupted the next day. Don't get on Dr. Kaufman's bad side!
• Ms. Andrews, in her spare time, is actually a world renowned flutist. She has accompanied symphonies all over the world, and if you listen very closely at the 6:57 minute mark on Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven" you can hear her solo, as well as the beginning of Men at Work's hit single "Land Down Under"...
• This may or may not come as a surprise to you, but Ms. Ounsted leads a very rich life outside of school, filled with comic book conventions, LARPing, and Star Trek conventions. She is actually LARPing royalty, having been crowned the Empress of the Tri-State area. She has at least 30 different pairs of elf ears that she can use when she has to attend royal LARP functions. She was crowned empress due to her prowess in combat, where she won the famous Winter's Night LARPing tournament, which took place at the Centralia 7-11 parking lot, last year. She defeated her nemesis, Sir Mix-A-Lot by weaving an impenetrable shield of fae magic, and smiting him soundly with her wiffle-ball-bat sword "Excalibur." All Hail the Queen!
• At the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia, Mrs. Kelly was the powerhouse anchor for the USA's Women's 4x400 team. As the anchor leg, Mrs. Kelly propelled her team forward and crossed the finish line in record-breaking time and won the gold. Mrs. Kelly never breathed a word about her Olympic triumph to anyone! Instead of basking in the spotlight, she skipped the medal ceremony, finished up a science course she had been working on, and chose to focus on shaping young minds as a middle school science teacher.
  
• Back in the 80's Mr Allan went on a trip to California and had his 15 minutes of fame on the televised "Price is Right '' game show when he was selected to participate from the crowd. He was able to come closest to the opening bid on a VHS player to move him to the next round, then was able to spin the wheel like no other, punching his ticket to the third round. Mr Allan's next round asked him to pick between three showcase doors. Mr Allan had an all expense vacation to Hawaii already won, and yet he chose to risk it all for what was behind the next door. Mr Allan ended up leaving the show with a two year jelly of the month subscription.
  
• Mrs. Bisher used to live in a real haunted house, which made Halloween fun every year, as she had the real thing to scare kids with. It was all fun and games, but she got sick of looking for the remote that her inconsiderate ghost kept losing. The ghost would also leave its ghostly dirty clothes laying all over the place, and drink from the milk carton directly.The final straw happened when one day she got her hair yanked by this total jerk of a ghost, and she felt she had to move out.
  
• Ever wonder what Ms. Urlacher does after school hours? It turns out our beloved educator has a hidden talent and a nocturnal side hustle as a Disguised DJ: Spinning beats at the hottest underground clubs, all while keeping a watchful eye out for truant students. While it isn't traditional for DJ's to specialize in Polka Music, DJ Rhonny as she goes by is breaking new ground!
  
• It isn't often you get to work alongside a real millionaire, but before Mr. Brewton left the swamps and palm trees and alligators of Florida, he bought a scratch ticket at the local Quick-E-Mart (along with some alligator jerky...his favorite). After snarfing the jerky he took out his lucky quarter and scratched away at his lottery ticket. Lo and behold! A $5 million dollar winner! So he packed up his bags and his wife and they moved to somewhere more exotic....Hoquiam, Washington. Here he realized his life's dream of teaching middle school history. He loves it so much, and he is so rich, we don't even pay him! That's right...Mr. Brewton does this all for free!
• Mrs. Folkers is part of a motorcycle group who drives around the country all summer! We visit as many coffee stands as we can and donate stuffed CUBS to local charities. Don't let placid exterior fool you, beneath the bag of stuffed Cubbies and Go Cup filled with Pumpkin Spiced Lattes, is one bad biker Mama!
  
• In college, Ms. Aja actually was an assistant veterinarian for dragons. She provided a special house training service for dragons to live in wood houses without causing fire to their person’s home. I think Ms. Aja is pulling our leg here...everyone who plays Dungeons and Dragons knows a dragon would never live in a wooden house! The rest of it....probably true!
  
• Ms. Turpin was Living the dream! Or so she thought. She convinced a now famous country singer, that she was his biggest fan and somehow snuck backstage at his tryouts for The Voice. They ended up writing a song together on a napkin, which then mysteriously disappeared before anyone could record it. Crazy to hear "More Than My Hometown", the song Ms. Turpin helped write, became a hit song on the radio a few years later. Glad Morgan Wallen got all the credit while Ms. Turpin returned to her hometown.
  
• Mrs. Falla's double life is the stuff of legends. She is a middle school math teacher by day and a restaurant/chef reviewer for the James Beard foundation by night. This has her flying to cities along the west coast tasting some of the best cuisine created by upcoming bakers and chefs. Her colleagues and students were clueless about this secret, always marveling at how her lunches- made up of the leftovers smelled so good.
  

So many brushes with greatness walking our halls! Take a moment in April to share a good chuckle with someone! Oh and if it wasn't obvious....APRIL FOOLS!!!!

A project staff want to take on for the newsletter is shining some light on their co-workers for doing neat or novel things with kids. We are delighted to shine our staff spotlight on Heather Turpin, a dedicated member of our school community whose contributions truly make a difference. Heather embodies a remarkable level of flexibility, an invaluable trait that allows her to adapt effortlessly to the evolving dynamics of our educational environment. Her ability to navigate challenges with grace and poise sets a positive example for both colleagues and students.

Heather is more than just a paraeducator; she is a master in the art of relationship building. Her genuine interest in the well-being of her students fosters an environment of trust and respect. Whether through one-on-one interactions or group activities, Heather goes above and beyond to establish meaningful connections that extend beyond the school building.

One of Heather's defining qualities is her unwavering commitment to setting high expectations for the students at HMS. She believes in their potential, and her encouragement motivates them to strive for excellence. Heather has the ability to create a space where students feel challenged, supported, and inspired to reach their full potential.

In recognizing Heather Turpin, we celebrate not only her professional expertise but also her embodiment of character traits that elevate our school community. Her flexibility, dedication to relationship building, and commitment to students and colleagues contribute significantly to the positive and nurturing atmosphere we cherish at our school. Heather, thank you for your outstanding contributions to the success and well-being of our students.

The Track and Field season begins Monday, April 8th (The day we return from Spring Break). Please make sure all of your tasks are complete on Final Forms and that you are dressed appropriately for practice. The girls will be defending their district title while the boys look to improve on last year's 6th place finish.Our 8th grade girls' 4x100 relay team will be competing again this year at the Oregon Relays in Eugene on April 20th where they placed sixth last year.

For schedule and live streaming information please visit https://www.oregonrelays.com/.

Go Cubs! Run fast and turn left! Please see Mr. Rogers, if you have any questions.

If you are looking for Final Forms, you can find it at this web address: https://hoquiam-wa.finalforms.com/

Parents need to create an account. Here is where you can find directions for making an account: https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/sportshub2-uploads-prod/files/sites/2656/2020/12/14094353/Hoquiam-FinalForms_ParentPlaybook.pdf

When the sports schedules are built, you can see the Current Season Sports Schedule here: https://www.arbiterlive.com/Teams?entityId=33572

Please understand that contests can change at any time. We will work hard to keep you abreast of changes as we are made aware of them.

April 1-5: Spring Break-No School

April 12-1:15 Early Release

April 19-1:15 Early Release

April 26-1:15 Early Release

Counselor's Corner

This past month 6th and 7th grades continued looking at careers. In 7th grade we played a game about different kinds of careers that students had to guess based on the clues given. They learned about different jobs/careers they didn't know. Sixth grade talked about the 6 Steps to Success (commitment, confidence, courage, creativity, determination, and integrity). We looked at which one of these describe themselves and talked about who their hero is. It was fun listening to them share out loud their answers.

The 8th grade registered for high school and started their High School and Beyond Plans. Some are very nervous and others are excited for their next adventure. The other grades will be registering next month.

Hope Squad

We have spent most of the month getting ready for conferences. They have been working hard on creating their slides.

Wellness Today for Parents

Wellness Today for Parents- Spanish

Attendance

Attending school regularly helps students feel better about school and themselves. Learn about ways to help your student be prepared: http://ow.ly/OKCS50KsoxK

#ShowingUpMatters #AttendTodayAchieveTomorrow

Our homeroom for the best attendance in March was Pumphrey's class!

We love seeing your child(ren) at school! If they are absent, make sure you are calling the school to excuse them. If they have a doctor's appointment, bring in a doctor's note to excuse. If you are planning a vacation, contact the office to set this up in a timely manner. Mrs.Webber is our attendance person, 360-538-8221 or ewebber@hoquiam.net

February Perfect Attendance-

6th Grade: Aiden Calloway--Alan Hernandez Nieto--Amadeus Robison--Andres Carrada-Morelia--Ash'lynned Donovan-Iverson--Brandon Frost--Callee Bailey--Christopher Acuna--Declan Potter--Evalynne Morrow--Grayson Black--Isaac Fabian Avila--Luis Chavez Torres--Mana Gum--Meilin Just--Natalie Bojorquez--Nayeli Mendoza Hernandez--Paisley Shaw--Santiago Garcia--Timothy Morris

7th Grade: Aeya Wheeler--Bella Garcia--Carlos Lopez Perez--Carson Baller--Cesar Gonzalez Nieto--Christofer Rodriguez--Ethan Rockwell--Jace Charley--James Judd--Jayden Vazquez-Hague--Josue Osorio--Kenny Canel Huinil--Key-lie Beckman--Layla Orama--Maci Ramiskey--Makaiah Haskey--Maria Torres--Rodney Chapman--Ryder Arnold--Samuel Billie-Luna--Sophia Craypo--Sphynx Levering-Perry--Stephan Polequinm Jr.--Teagan Bradshaw Piggott--Tyson Moore

8th Grade: Aden Rice--Ainsleigh Boggs--Alexander Mauth--Anita Hoover--Brittany Alcala Medina--Dagoberto Billie-Luna, Jr.--Dominic Impey--Eric Laureano--Hannah Dhooghe--Kamden Fowler--Luna Santiago--Madison Lillie--Nayalle Gum--Talan Abbott--Tanner Shaw--Tristin Case

Below are some new programs available in our community for parents. Please check them out.

Congratulations to our 6th Grade Honor Roll students for 2nd Quarter! Principal’s Honor Roll (4.0)--Alan Hernandez Nieto--Alonso Aguilar--Andres Carrada-Morelia--Eli Jones--Grayson Black--Isaac Fabian Avila--Kenzie Stankavich--Presley Wallin--Ryan Roberts--Tia Sayamnet

Grand Honor Roll (3.6-3.99)--Alani Manoi--Alarah Tewee--Allexandria Garcia--Amelia Bode --Annabella Oliver--Ashlynn Bale--Boston Olson--Brandon Frost--Britton Maxfield --Charles Montoure-Hathaway--Chase Mealey --Ciara Worthington--Davyn Stewart--Declan Potter--Evalynne Morrow--Fenix Aguilera--Hunter Turpin--Jillian Watkins--Juan Quintero-Arellano--Kamryn Arnold --Leviathan Larsson --Liam Perry --Lyric Ramstein--Mackenzie Rice--Maverick Tilley--Meilin Just--Michael Rodriguez--Paisley Shaw--Patience Foster--Peyton Tobias--Santiago Garcia --Sebrina Brock--Thaddeus Koth--Yutaka Hughes --Zoey Shope--

Honor Roll (3.0-3.59)--Adrianna Vinson--Aiden Calloway--Amadeus Robison--Andrew Hagen--Brandon Frost--Braydon Jeremiah--Callee Bailey--Carter Granberg--Charlotte Morris--Christopher Acuna--Damian Turpin--Donovan Bach--Eduardo Florek Meneses--Emily Mataya--Emily-May Smith--Emmanuel Ortiz--Gemma Heiskell--Grace Whitespeare--Haven Clayton--Hernandi Cortes-Arzate--Hunter DeWald--Jacob Ortuno--Jaycee Eddy-Hathaway--Jonathan Kelley--Kanon Larsson--Keegan Rice--Kevin Lowe--Kruz Calloway--Kyron Calica--Liana Santiago-Torres--Logan Bloom--Lucero Rosales Ramirez--Luis Chavez Torres--Lunabelle Julian--Marco Vazquez--Maria Gum--Mason Merriman--Matthew Dollarhyde--Mitchell Sherwood--Mycah Smith--Natalie Bojorquez--Nayeli Mendoza Hernandez--Noah Longenbaugh--Nolan Roberts--Payton Nowak--Ryder Lorton--Tenzin Sigafoos--Timothy Morris--Violet Choate--Zayne Fletcher

Congratulations to our 7th Grade Honor Roll students for 2nd quarter! Principal’s Honor Roll (4.0)--Stella Olson--Tanner Shaw

Grand Honor Roll (3.6-3.99)--Bethany Betancourth --Caleb Bennett--Carlos Lopez Perez --Cesar Gonzalez Nieto--Christofer Rodriguez--Crosby Dick--Ivy Fairbairn--Iza Frye--Jace Charley--Josue Osorio--Kane Mondragon--Kenneth McCoy III--Kenny Canel Huinil--Kylie McCoy --Lyndon Madison--Maggi Quigg--Makai Stum--Makalah Haskey--Nathan Gunderson--Parker Swantek--Rhonnijo Thompson--Teagan Bradshaw Pigott

Honor Roll (3.0-3.59)--Addison Jahner--Aeya Wheeler--Aubrey Mapel --Bella Garcia--Cristian Nieto Sanches--Ean Lavallee--Emma McCormick--Isabel Johnson--Jaxon Huycke--Julietta Del Cid--Maci Ramiskey--Quinton Prater--Reaghan Madison --Sophia Barron--Taylor Graham--Ty Thao

Congratulations to our 2nd Quarter 8th Grade Honor Roll Students!

Principal’s Honor Roll (4.0)--Brittany Alcala Medina--Caleb Gudino--Luna Santiago-- Monica Garcia--Shayla Bradshaw Pigott--Taylor Smith

Grade 8 Grand Honor Roll (3.6-3.99)-- Ainsleigh Boggs--Aleara Watkins--Andee Wilson--Audrey Cady--Autumn Morrow--Emelia Conley --Gustavo Mendez Ordonez--Jordyn Mills--JoshRandall Schuman--Kaprie Mong--Kaydence Coleman--Luciano Juarez--Madison Gordon--Maria Baires Ventura--Michelle Reiher--Nathaniel Furth--Reagan Monterroso--Said Cervantes--Zeke James

Grade 8 Honor Roll (3.0-3.59)--Aaliyah Kennedy--Anita Hoover--Annora Gwinn--Avery Brodhead--Benjamin Mauth--Bailey Wilson--Brailin Sears--Ecko Bisher--Ethan Mathews--Hannah Dhooghe--Hayden Pineda--Kamden Fowler--Kaylee Paladin--Keagan Bille-Sansom--Koadah Barr--Kyri Brown--Madyson Lillie--Mya Holbrook--Nayalle Gum--Olivia Madding--Oscar Lugo-- Raylee Jones--Talan Hunt--Tristin Case--Winston Nesperoz--Yeraizy Vazquez

The band and choir had a big month in March. First they put on their Spring Concert on Thursday March 14 at the 7th Street. It was a western themed concert, and both bands as well as choir really rose to the occasion in an evening that had several crowd pleasing moments. On Saturday, March 23, HMS Band attended the Solo and Ensemble contest at Tumwater Middle School. All three ensembles and bands received ratings of "Superior" and received very positive remarks from the judges. Awesome job Cub Musicians!

Here is a list of school personnel and how to contact them. This will be a permanent fixture in the newsletter. Click this link to get a full staff list: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1mfFtC4_VSMXjA75i-siy6mrLNsMjp1SCWsn3YINUa00/edit?usp=sharing

School Contact Information

Main Office/Ms. Glasgow 360-538-8220

Attendance Line/Ms. Webber 360-538-8221

Principal/Mr. Cook 360-538-8225

Dean of Students/Ms. Ounsted 360-538-8220 xt 1236

Counseling Center/Ms. Andrews 360-538-8224

Athletic Director/Shane Krohn 360-538-8213

Each month Hoquiam Rotary honors two 8th grade students who embody the virtues that Rotary stands for: Service to others, citizenship, commitment to excellence, and hard work. The students are honored at a monthly luncheon, after being selected by our 8th grade staff.

At the March Rotary Luncheon, we honored 2 students that embody these traits, and I am proud to introduce them to you!

Our first student of the month for February is JoshRandall Schuman (JR). JR was nominated based on his citizenship, and hard work in the classroom. He is the son of Roberta Schuman. JR has four siblings, William, Josie, Randall and Tabby. His favorite class at HMS is Algebra with Mr. Gwin. JR was involved with Wrestling at the Middle School, where he was lauded by his coaches for his attitude and hard work. In his spare time, he enjoys playing video games. He is proud of how well he is doing in school, and his grades. Next year he is looking forward to taking part in classes that let him work with his hands like wood shop and metal shop, and meeting more people. Congratulations JR!

Our next Student of the Month for March is Luna Santiago.Luna was selected for her citizenship, service to others, and great work ethic. She is the daughter of Clinton and Amy Davis. Luna has three siblings, Rhea, Anthony and Morgan. Her favorite class at HMS is AVID with Ms. Krohn. She is involved with AVID at HMS. In her off time she enjoys listening to music, traveling with her mom, or drawing. She is proud of her abilities as a student, she has straight A’s this year, and it is her goal to finish the year perfect. . Luna is looking forward to being able to meet a lot of new people, and expanding her social circle.

Way to go Luna!

Each month, staff are asked to recognize students for any number of reasons. Here is this month's Shout Outs!

Ms. Hara: Shout out to Raelynn Nielsen. She is always working hard and she also is willing to give a helping hand to others in class. She is sensitive to others' feelings and has such a big heart. Raelynn is a positive light in the school.

Congratulations Raelynn.

Mrs. Krohn: Mrs. Krohn says the following students are really showing improved knowledge in their grammar and writing skills;

Ean LaValle, Akeakamai Kendall, Breydin White, Madelynn Strickland, Crosby Dick, and Audrey Gray.

Also, the following students have been Reading RockSTARS this month! They probably will never see this because they're too busy reading....Ivy Fairbairn, Eoghan Jordan, and Kylie McCoy.

Ms. Folker's Shoutouts:

Monica Garcia for persevering and completing her research paper!

Luciano Juarez for working extremely hard on his paper and writing it beautifully.

Shayla Bradshaw Pigott for always being kind and thoughtful in class. Not only was her paper spectacular, but her effort and dedication was unmatched.

Michael McLucas for his classroom participation and finishing some pretty challenging assignments!

David Arenal-Lopez for his perseverance in finishing his research paper! Proud of you!

Ms. Aja's Shoutouts:

-Amelia Lenz for helping her friend with getting the work done.

-Ms Sarah Taylor for keeping students engaged and organizing boatloads of student data this quarter

-Ms Urlacher for sharing her ideas.

Sebrina Brock for her consistent efforts

Reagan Madison for her consistent effort.

Jordan Young for trying and succeeding at new, difficult math puzzles

-Trinidy Rios Florek for helping her classmate solve problems

-Alarah Teewe for consistent effort to keep up her grades and do well at sports

-Liana Santiago for consistent effort

Winston Nesperoz for leveling up on Lexia sooo many times!

Juan Quintero Arellano for leveling up on Lexia

Konor Lilananh for great spelling practice and improvements in spelling tests!

Eliah Beerbower for lively spelling practice and great gains on his spelling tests.

Lillian Gregg for improving her test scores this year so dramatically.

Macen Campbell for consistent effort

Ivy Fairbairn for being an awesome TA and sorting through long lists of student names.

Haven Clayton for finishing her project.

Ms. Falla's Shoutouts:

Ean Lavallee: Ean has a positive competitive spirit and adds energy to the classroom anytime we are playing games to review math materials. Thank you for sharing your exuberance with the class.

Jaxon Huycke: Jaxon is kind and comes into class with a friendly smile and curious attitude each day ready to learn. You are a joy to have in class.

Ms. Kelly's Shoutouts:

* Sami Taylor and Christina Shore for staying after class at the end of every day to organize and put the Chromebooks away. You both are rockstars!

*Adalie Morton and Aubrey Mapel for your consistent effort in all that you do, reflecting your strong work ethic and determination to succeed in science.

*Stephan Polquin and Key-Lie Beckman for your resilience and positive mindset in adjusting to a new school environment are remarkable, and your commitment to your education is evident in your consistent readiness to learn.

*Josie Winkelman your perseverance in facing challenges head-on and giving your all is truly inspiring.