Husky Howl

Hello Homer Huskies! I hope everyone had an amazing summer and is ready to dive into an even more amazing school year! I know I had a great summer tidepooling, gardening, and playing with my kids and dogs. I also got to travel to Seattle to attend the National Principal's Conference to learn from other principals from around the country and also share some of the cool things we are doing at Homer Middle School!

I can’t believe we are already at the end of week 2 of the school year and heading into September! We are in full swing at HMS with our classes, advisory and fall sports. It is so great to be back in our school routine and have our hall buzzing with students and staff!

Please take a few moments to follow HMS on Facebook and Instagram (@hmsalaska), as we keep these very up to date with pictures and announcements about what is happening at HMS. You can also check out our school website (https://kpbsd.org/schools/homer-middle/), although it is updated far less often. You can also join our HMS Public Google Calendar to help you keep up to date too (Google Calendar Link Click Here) As always, if you need anything at all during the school year, please do not hesitate to reach out. You can email me at mredmond@kpbsd.k12.ak.us or call the office at 907-235-5700.

-Principal Redmond

Interested in joining Battle of the Books? See Ms. Jerri in the Library!

August 30- Spirit Gear Fundraiser closes! ORDER LINK

September 1- NO SCHOOL

September 2- Last day to self nominate for HMS Site Council parent seats

September 2- First eligibility check at 3:45

September 2-5- Alternate bell schedule for MAP testing SCHEDULE LINK

September 2- Math MAP Test in advisory

September 3- Reading MAP test in advisory

September 4- Language Arts MAP test in advisory

September 5- MAP Makeups in advisory

September 12- Early release @ 2:20 pm

September 12- Student Council Officer nominations forms and speeches due to Mrs. Redmond

September 8-12- MAP test makeups as needed

September 16- Mid-Quarter Progress Reports EMAILED out to parents

September 16- Student Council officer speeches during advisory and voting!

September 18- Student Council officers announced

September 25- PICTURE DAY

September 30- Student of the Month and Advisory games assembly

October 6- Basketball season starts (you must have paperwork complete and turned in to attend practice)

Make sure to get your order in by end of day TOMORROW August 30th! 25% of your purchase price comes right back to HMS!

https://ovfundraising.chipply.com/homermiddleschoolfall2025/?action=viewall&apid=17110810&acid=2042482

Help us recognize the great things our staff at Homer Middle School are doing!! Fill out the form at this link to give a staff member a shout out in our next newsletter! You must enter your name and email to complete the form, but when shout outs are included in the newsletter, they will be anonymous.

https://forms.gle/FnSrYzRN1LrXjTHu8

Reminder to our student athletes that eligibility is checked every Monday at 3:45. If you have any Fs at that time, you are ineligible for competitions for the next week. If a student athlete is ineligible for competitions, they are still expected to attend practices. In addition, student athletes must be present for the entire day (or the Friday before a weekend competition), including being on time for school in the morning to be able to compete or practice that day.

Soccer Schedule (subject to change)-

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1p1-tnDeKs4alXKcppiAt71FnzJCzq5E2S2xYnmHxc1g/edit?usp=sharing

Cross Country Schedule (subject to change)- https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HllYe_OyFQ3BCQEfQEmXZJFLnZtmWtH3YeA8hbuvR-E/edit?usp=sharing

All students (new and returning) are required to have registration paperwork completed every school year. You can complete your child's paperwork at this link https://forms.kpbsd.org/. If your child is a returning student, nothing is required to be completed in person. If your child is a new student, you will need to drop off a copy of their birth certificate and physical form.

There is also a $25 band/choir fee and a $10 art fee for each student. If you have not paid these fees yet you may do so by sending cash/check to school or logging into PowerSchool to pay online with a credit card.

If you have not paid your $100 fee for soccer or cross country, please remember to submit that before the first competition, which is next Friday!

We want to welcome our new staff to our Homer Husky Team! Make sure to say hi to them soon!

Philip Hunerdosse- Special Education

Andrea Rainwater- Head Secretary

Andrew Redmond- Head Custodian

Hello Husky Families!

I hope your child has a healthy school year. Please reach out to me if you have any health-related questions. The KPBSD Symptom Free Protocol is the same as last year, if your child is experiencing any of the following symptoms, they are required to stay home to prevent spreading the infection. And most importantly, to get well. The symptoms include:

• Active vomiting or diarrhea
• Fever of 100 or higher, chills, and generalized aches (without use of fever-reducing medications)
• Taking the first 24 hours of antibiotic treatment
• An undiagnosed, new and/or untreated rash or skin condition

Lastly, please be aware that the Homer and outlying areas have recently had some cases of pertussis (whooping cough). Typically, symptoms of pertussis are severe coughing spells that can lead to vomiting. If you are concerned that your child may have pertussis, let me know and I can work with you to connect to healthcare provider. Pertussis can be treated with antibiotics, and it is important to start treatment as soon as possible to help prevent the spread of the bacteria to others.

Thank you!

Nurse Rebekah

• The use of electronic devices, such as cell phones, bluetooth headphones, smart watches, etc., not provided by the school for student use, is not allowed in school by students. If students bring these items to school, they must turn them off when entering the building and leave them off and out of sight until the last bell rings. The school is limited in resources and will not assist in searching for lost electronics. The only exception to this rule is if a teacher gives permission for a student to use a device for a specific activity in class. Absolutely no phones are allowed in bathrooms or locker rooms at any time.

  • All students are warned of this rule explicitly at the beginning of the school year.

  • 1st offense- Device is taken away and given to the office. Student may get device back at the end of the school day.

  • 2nd offense (and each offense thereafter)- Device is taken away and given to the office. A parent or guardian will be called and the parent/guardian or designee must pick up the device.

Regular attendance at school is a vital part of student success. Parents/guardians are expected to call or email the school by 9:30 am whenever their child will be absent.

Phone Number: 907-235-5700

Email: arainwater@kpbsd.k12.ak.us

• Excused Absence- a parent has notified the school that their child is or will be absent from school.
• Unexcused Absence- a parent has not notified the school that their child is or will be absent from school.
• A student is considered absent from a class period once they are 10 minutes late.

When a student will be absent from school for 5 consecutive days or more, a prearranged absence form must be completed and submitted to the office in advance of the absence. The student is expected to be responsible for completing this form and following up with his or her teachers about missing work once he or she is back from the absence.

If a student will be absent more than 10 consecutive days, the parent is required to meet with the principal to discuss the absence and determine next steps.

Doors open for students at 8:30 am. No supervision is provided outdoors before 8:30 am. Class starts promptly at 9:00 am. If you are dropping off or picking up students, please follow the traffic pattern through the parking lot for this line. Do not, at any time, enter the school bus loading area of the parking lot. Load/unload as quickly and safely as possible. All students enter the building through the MPR in the morning and exit the school through the main front door in the afternoon. School releases at 3:50 pm.

We also offer morning study hall from 8-8:30 in the library. This is a quiet time for students to work on homework or read. If students are dropped off before 8:30 am, they should enter the school to attend study hall. Please do not drop students off early if they do not intend to attend study hall, as there is no supervision outside.

If you need info about bussing, please contact Apple Bus at 907.235.0124.

Students are required to have a bus note if they need to get off the bus at a different stop than usual. Parents/guardians must do the following by 2:00 PM to request a bus note for their child.

• Step 1: Call First Student at 907-235-0124 to find out the bus number and bus stop name you are requesting for the bus pass. You also need to verify that there will be space on the bus for the bus pass to be accepted by the driver.

• Step 2: Call or email the HMS secretary to request the bus pass and provide all info needed. (bus number, stop name, destination contact name and phone number, dates for pass).

Our bell schedule is slightly different this year. Check out our bell schedules for a regular day, early release, and late start on our website directly at this link!

https://kpbsd.org/schools/homer-middle/bell-schedules/

See our full student handbook here

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GMBfYqT0rSoeQ5JMWZGOUv1VoLmpwwiV/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=103202767463355139375&rtpof=true&sd=true

Need to chat? Make an appointment with Mrs. Redmond using this link! https://calendar.app.google/ndAy5vgkhXJZrtD37

Have you updated your registration for this year yet? If not please do so here https://forms.kpbsd.org/guardian/login?returnUrl=%2Fguardian .

Add funds to your child's lunch account here https://kpbsd.revtrak.net/

Check your child's grades and see if you still owe any course fees in PowerSchool here https://kpbsd.org/students-parents/powerschool/

Are you interested in volunteering at Homer Middle School? Complete the KPBSD volunteer application at this link https://kpbsd.org/departments/assistant-superintendent/instructional-services/hr/volunteer/. Once you are approved, reach out to the office and we can find a way for you to help!

Please take the time to complete the surveys below. They can be filled out at any point in the year and as many times as you would like! We value your compliments and constructive feedback!

• Morning tutoring- 8:00-8:30 am every day in the library

• Morning library- 8:30-8:50 am every day the library is open for work time

• Enrichment- set up a time to meet with a teacher in advance

• Enrichment- the library is open every day to work on class work

• Advisory- most Wednesdays will be study hall. Study hall time may be available other days in advisory as well from time to time.

• After school tutoring- will be starting soon!

• Work on school work when I am at home!

Always reach out to your teaches right away if you are struggling!