The HMS Family Digest

The HMS Digest will be in your email every Sunday at 1pm. Stay up-to-date with all things Harpeth Middle School right here!

"I am a Harpeth Middle Champion. I know what I stand for. I will never give up!"

The Cheatham County School District will be on Fall Break October 12th-16th.

The following 4th periods had the highest attendance rate in the month of September!

Mr. Turner

Mrs. Lloyd

Mrs. Slot

Mrs. Haney

All 4 classes received a free Kona Ice last Friday!

Quarter 1 ends this Friday, October 9th. Students have until October 30th to submit missing work or retake assessments. After October 30th, all Quarter 1 grades are final. Please encourage your child to review their grades and reach out to teachers about missing assignments, retake opportunities, and steps to improve.

For students failing two or more classes, teachers will contact families to schedule a meeting to discuss grades, needed support, and an academic contract. Students are required to attend these meetings with their families. Our goal is to ensure families, students, and teachers share clear expectations and a plan for success while helping students take ownership of their learning.

Parent/Teacher Conferences will be held Monday, November 2nd, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Please email your child’s homeroom teacher if you would like to schedule a meeting.

There is no school for students that day. If your child is failing two or more classes, we ask that they attend the conference with you so we can work together on a plan for success and help them take ownership of their learning.

Students who maintain a semester average of 70% or higher in English, Math, Science, and Social Studies are invited to attend our Academic Field Trip to City Forum on Thursday, December 17th!

This trip is a special reward for students’ hard work and academic success. The cost is $25, and eligibility will be based on grades as of November 24th. Permission slips will be sent home shortly after grade cutoffs to ensure all qualified students have the opportunity to attend.

Let’s celebrate our students’ dedication and achievements with a fun day at City Forum! 🎉

Our next Super Fun Day is December 18th, and we need your help getting the Hardware Store stocked and ready for our students!

We’ve put together an Amazon Wishlist with some of the items we’ve offered in the past that our students LOVE! If you’d like to help, check out the list below and consider donating an item or two.

Every donation helps us keep the Hardware Store full of fun rewards for our students to spend their hard-earned points on. Thank you for continuing to support our students and HMS!

Yearbook presales start now! $50

Please use the link below to order your yearbook, or use the QR Code.

https://yearbookforever.com/school-store/TRGF9Zi1Em28MK2UWEI0OuzP

5th and 6th grades: Unified Lunch Bunch sign-ups are on the bulletin board outside Mrs. Abby's Room (Room 30). We will rotate weekly, so everyone will have to opportunity to join us! Come hand out, learn about inclusion, and enjoy lunch with new friends.

Unified club sign-up forms are still on the bulletin board outside room 30 (Mrs. Abby's Room). Dues are $25 and include a club t-shirt. Club meetings will begin in late September. Check the digest weekly for upcoming meeting announcements.

🎂 Student Birthday Lunch Celebration

We love celebrating our students! Each month, parents and families are invited to join their child for lunch on our designated Birthday Lunch Celebration Day during their child’s birthday month. Come enjoy lunch together and help us make their birthday month a little more special!

Lunch Times:
🎈 5th & 6th Grade: 11:10–11:40 AM
🎈 7th Grade: 11:45 AM–12:15 PM
🎈 8th Grade: 12:20–12:50 PM

Please note: Outside food is not permitted during Birthday Lunch Celebrations. Families may enjoy a school lunch from our cafeteria or simply join their child during their lunch period.

🛡️ Visitor & Safety Procedures

For the safety of our students and staff, all school safety and visitor procedures will remain in effect during Birthday Lunch Celebrations and Breakfast & Q&A.

• The Clear Bag Policy is in effect for all guests.
• All guests must enter through the front entrance and go through the weapons detection system upon arrival.
• Guests must sign in at the front office and receive a visitor badge before proceeding to the cafeteria.
• Parents and families must remain in the cafeteria for the duration of their visit. Guests will not be permitted to visit classrooms or other areas of the building.
• At the conclusion of the visit, all guests must return to the front office to sign out before leaving the building.

We are excited to welcome our families into HMS and appreciate your cooperation with these procedures as we work together to keep our school safe!

Students can redeem the rewards they earn on their CHAMPS Card throughout the date range indicated on card. Once a reward is redeemed, a staff member will initial and date the reward on the CHAMPS Card to show that it has been used.

🎧 Device at Lunch

Students may use a personal device during Friday lunch only. This reward is good for one lunch period.

To redeem:

• Bring your device and CHAMPS Card to lunch on Friday.

• Show your CHAMPS Card to a staff member.

• The staff member will initial and date the reward.

• Once it has been initialed and dated, the reward has been used and cannot be redeemed again.

🎟️ Student Coupon of Choice

Students who earn this reward may choose any available student coupon from the CHAMPS reward options. Once selected and redeemed, a staff member will initial and date the CHAMPS Card.

🎵 Listen to Music While You Work

This reward allows students to listen to music during independent work time. The classroom teacher has the discretion to determine whether music is appropriate during that particular work period. Students must follow the teacher's expectations for device use and volume.

😴 Pajama Day Pass

Students may redeem this reward for the opportunity to wear pajamas to school on an approved day. To redeem the reward, students should bring their CHAMPS Card to the front office. After the reward is verified, the student will receive a lanyard to wear as their Pajama Day Pass.

🧢 Hat Day Pass

Students may redeem this reward for the opportunity to wear a hat on an approved day. Students should bring their CHAMPS Card to the front office to redeem the reward. After the reward is verified, the student will receive a lanyard to wear as their Hat Day Pass.

Remember: A reward is considered redeemed once a staff member has initialed and dated it on the CHAMPS Card.

ParentVUE is our new app for accessing your student's information. When downloading the app please make sure you are choosing the correct version. It is labeled 'ParentVUE New' in your app store. If you have any trouble accessing your account or need the link emailed to you, please reach out to Sarah Winstead by phone or email: 615.952.2293 sarah.winstead@ccstn.org

Stay in touch with the Village via email at HarpethVillageParents@gmail.com or Remind.

Please join via the Remind link here (click here to access the link).

Thank you to ALL the parents who helped with the color run! It was a great success because of you.

We are in need of individually wrapped candy.

We will be going on our field trip to River Bluff Monday 10/5. Please have your child wear tennis shoes.

Please review the attached 5th grade retake procedures. 5th grade students will have the opportunity to retake/ make up any tests or quizzes during flex time every Wednesday.

ELA

This week, we will continue to work on:

• Understanding the relationships between events and ideas in a text
• Building and using new vocabulary
• Making connections to the text
• Summarizing what we have read
• Supporting our thinking with information from the text

• The district will use a consistent grading conversion for Benchmark Advance ELA Unit Assessments 1–4 in grades 2–5. These assessments are designed to provide teachers with information about student learning and instructional next steps, and the raw assessment score is not intended to be the only measure of a student’s overall achievement in ELA. The temporary conversion will help ensure that Benchmark assessment results are represented appropriately in the gradebook while maintaining the rigor and expectations of the assessments. The district anticipates that the conversion will begin to phase out with Unit 5, as we review first-semester data and determine the most appropriate grading practice for the remainder of the school year in relation to Benchmark Advance Unit Assessments.

Math

• We are completing the rest of Unit 5 this week. We will complete our study guide on Tuesday and take our test on Wednesday.
• On Thursday and Friday we will be taking a 9 week benchmark test (This is for me to see how students are doing. It will not be taken for a grade).
• Homework: Multiplying Multi Digit Whole Numbers Due: Friday 10/9

Science

• Monday: Field Trip

• Tuesday: Starting Lesson 2 Adaptations: Survival when Environments Change (Be on the lookout for a study guide for Friday's test)

• Tuesday or Wednesday: Lab

• Wednesday: Quiz

• Thursday: Review

• Friday: Topic 5 Adaptations & Survival Test

Social Studies

• Next week will be completing a Unit 5 Test. This is our first Unit test and here are the things it will be over
• 1. Indigenous people and settlements
• 2. TN American Indian Tribes
• 3. The Cumberland Gap and Wilderness Road
• 4. The Watauga and Cumberland Settlements
• 5.The Overmountain Men
• 6. The Lost State of Franklin
• All students have Waygrounds they can study on every topic. I will be sending home a hard copy study guide on Monday.
• The test will be Thursday 8th. This is our first big test so I encourage to have your child read through the study guide nightly.
• Also Social Studies is in need of individually wrapped candy.

Stay Connected in 6th Grade!

Please be sure to join the 6th Grade Remind Group for all up-to-date information.

School In The Wild Field Trip (Oct. 7-9, 2026): Please drop off your child by 7:20 in the back parking lot on Wednesday morning with their things! Packing reminder was sent home and put in the Remind App last week!! Email with any questions!

ELA

• In sixth grade ELA, we will complete the Unit One: Childhood introduction before leaving for our School in the Wild field trip on Wednesday.

  
  

Math

• No assessments this week

Science

• T3L1 Terrestrial Biomes Quiz Tuesday

Social Studies

• Monday, Oct. 5th. Chapter 6 Test Geography of ancient Egypt. Study guide went home on 9/28.
• Retests Ch. 1-6 offered on Tuesday, Oct. 6th.

Join the 7th Grade Remind App, if you haven't already!! See photo below.

LBL: See Remind app for packing list and itinerary (was in LBL packet but many were accidentally sent back with signed permission slips). If you are not on the app please see the directions in this section to join!

ELA (Anders & Slot)

• Book report poster due on Monday 10/5 (was assigned on 8/31)

• Work on narrative writing essay in class - "Two Kinds" from the mother's perspective
• Please encourage students to be reading at home :)
• Check student grades. End of grading period is Friday 10/9. Deadline for any quarter 1 grades is two weeks after fall break.

Math

Hayes:

• Accelerated Math will be testing over Module 5 on Tuesday, 10/6

• Standard Math will begin Module 5 & will have in-class assignment for a grade before the LBL Trip.

• No Homework this Week!!

• Continue Rational Numbers

Science

• Wallace: Conservation of Mass

• McVey: Continue Topic 3

Social Studies (Slot & Wallace)

• Chapter 7 Geography of SW Asia & N Africa
• NO Test this week!
• LBL Wednesday-Friday (Soc. Studies Packets for those not attending)
• Check student grades. End of the grading period is Friday 10/9. Deadline for any quarter 1 grades is two weeks after fall break.

Stay Connected with 8th Grade!

• We will be using the Remind app for quick updates and messaging. If your child doesn't have a phone, please don't worry! This is completely optional, just an extra way for us to stay connected.
• If you would like to join and stay up to date on all things 8th grade at HMS, please click the link: https://www.remind.com/join/hmswhitess

Field Trip:

• Field Trip date is October 8th. Deadline to return permission slips is October 2nd.

ELA

• Finalizing and submitting essays on Monday.

• Unit 1 Test Tuesday

• Unnecessary Shifts in Verb Mood

• Station Rotations for Skills Review

• Creative Writing

Math

• We are starting Unit 3 this week: Solving Equations.

• Students will have a homework sheet given out Monday that is due Friday.

• We have our field trip on Thursday.

• Please make sure your student is using their time wisely on Wednesday so that they can complete all of their 6 ALEKS lessons. 5 days to go... we've got this!

Algebra 1

Science

• Topic 3: Force and Motion

• Assessment on Tuesday, 10/6

• Field Trip on Thursday, 10/7

Social Studies

• This week, we will be learning about The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere and studying Chapter 4: The Declaration of Independence.

• Students will also complete an in-class mini-project that will help them deepen their understanding of the Declaration of Independence and its significance. No test this week.

• I am in need of jolly ranchers and dum dum suckers in my class if you would like to donate.

• The students would really appreciate it!

• I am also sharing my Amazon wishlist link for our classroom. A big thank you to everyone who has already sent in supplies—we truly appreciate your support and generosity!

• https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1D84NKR8WX68D?ref_=wl_share

Dear 8th Grade Parents & Families,

We’re working hard to make this year’s Harpeth Middle School Yearbook extra special, and we have a fun surprise planned just for our 8th graders!

We’re creating a “Can You Guess Who?” Baby Picture Challenge!
We are asking each 8th grade student to bring in one picture of themselves as a baby or young child. These pictures will be featured in a special section of the yearbook, where students, staff, and families can try to guess which 8th grader is hiding behind each adorable little face!

What we need:
ONE baby or childhood photo of your 8th grader
Please choose a photo where their face is clearly visible.
The sillier, cuter, or more unexpected the picture, the better!
Please make sure the photo is appropriate for inclusion in a school publication.

🤫 Keep it a secret!
Please do not tell your student which picture you submitted if possible! We want to keep the guessing game a surprise.

Please submit your child’s photo by December 1st! HOW TO SUBMIT—email, printed copy.

Email: Merisa.judkins@ccstn.org
Life skills classroom: Room 30

Please include your student’s first and last name with the photo so we know who our mystery baby is! We can’t wait to see everyone’s adorable throwback pictures and hear all the guesses! This will be a fun way to celebrate our 8th graders and create one more special memory for their final year at HMS!

Thank you for helping us make this year’s yearbook one they’ll always remember!
Let the guessing begin!

— Ris Judkins, HMS Yearbook Editor

🏃 Presidential Fitness Test — Required by State Law

Beginning this school year, all students will participate in the Presidential Fitness Test, as required by Tennessee state law. The assessment measures students’ strength, endurance, and flexibility and is designed to promote physical fitness and healthy habits. Student performance on the test will not negatively affect a student’s grade. Appropriate accommodations will be provided for students with IEPs or 504 Plans as required.

If your child has PE please make sure they are wearing shoes for class.

5th and 7th graders are off to a great star after their first week in their new rotation.
6th and 8th graders will be working on their song choices for guitar and piano.

Please make sure to send a pair of "plug-in" headphones or earbuds if your child takes Computer Science this rotation. We are studying Python commands that will move our chosen character through a coordinate grid this week.

This week in Art we are working with the Color Wheel, Oil Pastels, Neurographics, and 8th Grade tiles.

Here is where you can find all things HMS Band:

Our Weekly Smore Newsletter: Check out our main source for detailed updates, schedules, and important information right here: https://app.smore.com/n/2ed1x-harpeth-middle-school-band

Southern Cluster Fine Arts Newsletter: Stay connected with what's happening across our broader community through the CCS Fine Arts Color and Chords Newsletter. https://app.smore.com/n/gmj85-ccsd-fine-arts-color-and-chords

The BAND App: For day-to-day reminders, quick chats, and direct communication, join our group on the BAND app: https://band.us/n/a2acA3lazckaG

Social Media: Follow us on Facebook at Harpeth MS Band Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/harpethmsband1) and on Instagram at @HarpethMSBand1 to see pictures, videos, and celebrate our students' hard work!

We will continue to take cash and GoFan at our middle and high school athletic events this year. The GoFan links can be found here. Also, we are offering discounted student tickets at our athletic events this year:

• All children in K-4th grade: Free entrance in all CCSD sports
• CCSD students 5th-12th grade with school ID: $3
• CCSD students 5th-12th grade without school ID: Full price (no badge, no discount)
• Visiting students 5th-12th grade: Full price

The Cheatham County School District is excited to begin using LINQ Connect for the 2026-2027 school year as your one-stop solution for managing School Nutrition payments quickly and securely.

To make account setup easier, we recommend creating your account first through the website:
https://linqconnect.com/main

Setting up an account through the website is smoother than starting with the mobile app. Once your account is created, simply sign in to the LINQ Connect app using the same credentials.

We will continue to use RevTrak for all other school-related payments, such as field trips, athletics, clubs, laptop payments, supply fees, fundraisers, yearbooks, etc.

If you have questions about the LINQ Connect program, please contact our School Nutrition Department at 615-746-1411.

At the Cheatham County School District, we believe every student deserves the resources they need to succeed.

If your family needs assistance with food, clothing, personal hygiene items or other basic necessities, please contact the counselor at your child's school. Our team can help connect you with available resources and support services.

Together, we can ensure every student has what they need to thrive.

Location: 170 Harpeth View Trail, Kingston Springs, TN, USA

Phone: 615-952-2293

Fax: 615-952-4527

Principal Email: susie.kephart@ccstn.org

Website: https://www.harpethmiddleccs.net/
Facebook: HMS Indians

Instagram: @harpethmiddleschool