The Weekly Update #4

Dear Howe Families,

It was a fantastic couple of nights at our Open Houses! Meeting our new families and reconnecting with returning ones brought so much energy and joy to our halls. Thank you for showing up, sharing your smiles, and helping us kick off the year on such a high note.

As we prepare for our official first day this Monday, our entire staff is hard at work putting the final touches on our building and classrooms to ensure a warm, high-energy welcome for every single student.

This year, we are grounding our work in our Row the Boat theme, leaning into collaboration, synchronicity, and accountability as a school community. Here is what you and your student can expect as we set sail into Week One:

• Intentional Modeling: Our teachers are entering the week with absolute focus. They will be explicitly modeling and practicing our daily operations, routines, and procedures with students. By clearly demonstrating what success looks like—from morning arrival to classroom expectations—we remove the guesswork and build a safe, predictable environment where every student can thrive.
• Building Relationships: Beyond routines, our priority this week is connection. Expect your students to engage in community-building activities designed to help them feel seen, supported, and ready to row together with their peers and teachers.
• Clear Communication: As we establish our tempo, we are committed to keeping you in the loop. You can expect regular updates on school events, academic progress, and how you can partner with us at home.

When families and staff row together in the same direction, there is no limit to what our students can achieve. We are honored to partner with you and thrilled to welcome your kids through our doors on Monday morning.

Let’s make it an incredible first week. Row the Boat!

Principal Bletzinger

As we prepare for Monday morning, we want to make sure your arrival goes as smoothly as possible! First-day traffic is always a bit heavier than usual, especially as our new families get used to the pattern.

To help keep things moving efficiently and safely:

• Patience & Timing: Please allow extra time for drop-off on Monday morning.

• Follow the Pattern: Pull all the way forward in the drop-off line before letting your student out. Our staff will be outside in bright vests to guide you and direct traffic.

• Quick Goodbyes: To keep the line moving, please have your student ready to exit the vehicle on the passenger side as soon as you come to a complete stop.

Please take a moment to review the updated student drop-off and pick-up procedures.

• Buses drop off and pick up students in the northwest parking lot off of Julian Avenue.
• Car riders are dropped off and picked up on Bancroft Avenue.
• Walkers also enter the building at Door 1 on Bancroft.

Thank you for your patience and for working with us to keep all our Howe students safe. We can't wait to see everyone in the morning!

Welcome to the 2026–2027 school year! To help our middle schoolers feel confident, safe, and ready to learn, we are easing into the year with intentional Orientation Days focused on teaching routines, practicing expectations, and building community.

Here is a quick look at what your student will be doing during their first three days:

🗓️ Monday, August 10: Laying the Foundation

• Morning Welcome & Advisory: Students will kick off the day in their Advisory class with icebreaker activities and a special school-wide welcome from Dr. Bletzinger.

• Locker Practice & Handbook Review: Students will practice opening their lockers and review essential handbook guidelines (cell phone policies, dress code, etc.).

• Expectation Stations & Practice: Classes will practice arrival, dismissal, hallway transitions, and cafeteria procedures. Advisories will also visit "Positive Behavior Expectation Stations".

🗓️ Tuesday, August 11: Gold Day Schedule Walk & Community Meetings

• Gold Day Class Walkthrough: Students will do a "mini-walkthrough" of their A-Day (Gold Day) schedule, spending 10 minutes in each class period to meet their teachers, learn course expectations, and practice using their school planners.

• Grade-Level Community Meetings: Each grade level will gather in the auditorium for a community meeting with Dr. Bletzinger and the administrative team to align on shared goals and expectations for the year.

• Refining Routines: We will continue practicing locker access and dismissal routines (especially for our 6th graders).

🗓️ Wednesday, August 12: Brown Day Schedule Walk & Block Party!

• B Day (Brown) Schedule Walkthrough: Students will walk through their B-Day (Brown Day) schedule during another 10-minute mini-run-through of their classes.

• Dream Alive Back-to-School Block Party: We’re celebrating a great start to the school year! Each grade level will rotate to the gym for a fun Dream Alive Block Party to build school spirit and celebrate a successful launch week!

💡 Quick Tips for Parents:

• Arrival & Breakfast: Doors open at 8:45 AM, and breakfast is available for all students. If your child doesn't know their Advisory classroom on Monday, staff will be ready to help them find where to go.

• Patience at Dismissal: Dismissal starts staggered by floor beginning at 4:01 PM. Please allow a few extra minutes for pickup during the first week as students learn their locker combinations and dismissal routes!

To help your family navigate the upcoming year with confidence, we have compiled the essential 2026-2027 Information for Families & Students Packet. Consider this your ultimate reference guide for a seamless start to the year.

🔍 What’s Inside the Packet?

We’ve mapped out answers to your biggest questions so you can hit the ground running. Reviewing the packet will give you a clear overview of:

• Key Dates: Details for our first day of school on Monday, August 10th, and Student Progress Conference dates (formerly known as PIT Day).

• Daily Logistics: Crucial arrival and dismissal procedures, including exact drop-off maps for car riders (Door 1) and bus riders (Door 19).

• The IB Block Schedule: How our daily morning Advisory and rotating Gold/Brown (A/B) days work.

• A Parent’s Guide to IB Grading: A helpful breakdown of how we measure student growth using the unique 0–8 criteria rubrics and 1–7 final scores.

• Student Life & Support: Information on sports, extracurricular clubs, and staying connected through KINVO, Toddle, and PowerSchool.

📥 Access Your Full Packet Now!

We highly encourage all families to download and review this packet together before our orientation events. It’s the best way to get your student prepared, organized, and excited for day one!

If you have any questions as you read through the guide, please don't hesitate to reach out to our main office at 317-693-5560 or email Dr. Bletzinger at bletzingerj@myips.org. Let's make it a fantastic year, Hornets!

Parents/Guardians can access the 26/27 Student Supply List in the linked PDF below.

Middle school is the perfect time for students to explore new interests, build skills, and find their team! This week, we are kicking off our fall sports and extracurricular clubs.

Here is what you need to know as we get started this week:

ℹ️ Student Info Session: We will review all fall sports and club opportunities with students during our Grade-Level Community Meetings this Tuesday, August 11. Many students have already expressed their interest through our Extracurricular Activities Interest Form. You can still express your child's interest here: Student Interest Google Form

📆 Monthly Activity Calendar: You can view our full schedule of weekly practices, game dates, and club meeting times on our official monthly calendar here: Monthly Activity Calendar

💡 Predictable Scheduling: To help families plan ahead—and to give students the chance to try a variety of activities without overlapping—we host practices and club meetings on consistent nights each week. You can view the weekly cadence here: Athletics/Clubs Meeting Schedule

Encourage your student to listen closely on Tuesday and pick an activity to dive into this fall!

Scope of Policy

In response to Indiana Legislation and Senate Bill 78, Indianapolis Public Schools has adopted the following personal electronic device policy (linked below). For purposes of this policy, a personal electronic device means any portable wireless device capable of voice, messaging, or other data communication, including a cellular telephone, tablet computer, laptop computer, gaming device, or smartwatch connected to a cellular network, cell tower, or the Internet.

Prohibited Student Use

The use of personal electronic devices (PEDs; e.g., cell phones, headphones, earbuds, AirPods) is prohibited during the instructional day. All student PEDs must be off during the instructional day between 8:45 am and 4:00 pm, and stored in a secure location. All students are provided with a locker to store their personal items. Students are required by law to store their PEDs in their lockers.

Staff will follow the procedures below if a student fails to keep PEDs in their locker during the instructional period.

1st Offense:

• PED is confiscated and held in the front office for the remainder of the instructional day
• Student may pick up their PED at the end of the day
• Parent contact made

2nd Offense:

• PED is confiscated and held in the front office for parent/guardian pickup]
• Parent contact made

3rd Offense:

• PED is confiscated and held in the front office for parent/guardian pickup
• Parent contact made; conference scheduled
• Parent conference must be held to create a contract and release PED

If a student refuses to give the device to staff upon request, the behavior will be elevated to an administrator.

If you have any questions about the expectations set forth, please contact Principal Bletzinger at 317-693-5560 or bletzingerj@myips.org.

At TCHMS, regular and timely attendance is a foundational building block for student success and a vibrant school culture. Middle school is a critical period where students build the independent habits they will carry for the rest of their lives. When a student arrives on time every morning, they kick off their day with a focused mind, connect with their peers during Advisory, and establish a rhythm that sets them up for long-term success.

Achieving excellent attendance is a team effort—we are truly all in this together.

🎯 Understanding the Numbers: The 94% Target

Our school performance is collectively held accountable to a state attendance rate target of 94%. While that might sound like a flexible percentage, the reality of the math is eye-opening:

• The Limit: A 94% attendance rate means a student can miss no more than 10 days across the entire school year. Please view the Student Attendance Overview for Families PDF linked below.

• The Impact: Every day a student is absent, they miss crucial learning experiences and valuable interactions with their teachers. Keep in mind that we operate on an A Day/B Day schedule. When a student misses a day, they may not have that day's classes again for two to three days!

• On-Time Matters: Attendance isn't just about missing full days; it's also about arriving on time. Doors open at 8:45 AM, giving students the critical time they need to visit their lockers, secure their electronic devices, and settle into their morning Advisory class by 9:00 AM. Arriving late can disrupt a student's morning momentum and cause them to miss key community announcements.

🤝 Held Accountable Together

Because our school's overall rating is tied to meeting this 94% threshold, every single day your child is at school on time helps our entire Hornet community shine. We are deeply grateful for your partnership in making morning routines a priority, scheduling appointments outside of school hours whenever possible, and reinforcing the value of dedication.

Let’s work together to ensure every student is present, punctual, and prepared to learn every day!

We understand that illnesses and emergencies happen, and our top priority is keeping our Hornet community safe, healthy, and supported. This digital form is designed to provide families with a quick and convenient way to notify our main office of a student absence. Please ensure all required fields are fully completed so we can update our records accurately.

Before you submit your report, please keep these important health and state guidelines in mind:

• Fever & Illness Policy: To prevent the spread of germs on campus, if your child has a fever, they must remain home until their symptoms have improved and they are completely fever-free for more than 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication.
• Excused Absences: Students who are kept home due to illness and are formally reported by their families via this form will be marked as excused.
• State Attendance Law: As a reminder, Indiana Law states that students may not miss more than 10 days of school within a single school year.

Thank you for your partnership in keeping our school healthy and ensuring we meet our attendance goals together!

Questions About Attendance?

If you have any questions or need to discuss your child’s attendance record, please do not hesitate to reach out directly to Assistant Principal Aaron Vest at vesta@myips.org.

• To Join: https://www.givebacks.com/causes/inpta-12711528
• BAND App Group: https://band.us/n/aba5035cJeY4e
• Private Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/19Dq1LRNX6/

Shepherd is a faith-based organization committed to serving the community. This year we are offering before and after school programs to support students and families at Howe.

Both programs provide a safe, engaging environment where students can connect, grow, and have fun. Activities include games, guest speakers, college/business visits and life mapping-a hands on approach to help students identify their interests, create life goals and explore future career paths.

Before and after school care programs will begin shortly after the school year begins. If you have any questions about the program or would like to enroll, please call the Shepherd Center at 317-375-0203.

Please help to give back to our school. The Kroger Rewards Program gives a percentage of your shopping back to the school you choose. Download the Kroger app and register your Kroger account – go to top right corner and tap on the three lines. Go to Rewards, then go to Community Rewards and click. Search T.C. Howe Middle School and select. If you have any questions about this, please reach out to Principal Bletzinger at 317-693-5560 or bletzingerj@myips.org.