Matthew Henson Weekly Update

Dear Matthew Henson Families,

The parent update is coming out this afternoon as the platform used to communicate the weekly update is through a Microsoft Outlook Platform. Microsoft has been sporadic for us throughout the day.

During the PTO meeting, there was a parent concern about the weekly update, frequency and information contained within the update. I choose to do a weekly update so that families have up to date information. It is not feasible to do more than one update a week as some schools even elect to do the updates biweekly or monthly. Families also have voiced concerns of too many communications from the school, so we have elected if at all possible for it to go into the weekly update.

The reoccurring information for the update has remained at the bottom of the update all year. I have included a specific spot in the update below that indicates the reoccurring information.

Have an amazing weekend!

Mrs. Christina Caballero

Principal

ccaballero@ccboe.com

Monday, November 16th -B Day

Tuesday, November 17th - A Day

Wednesday, November 18th- B Day

Thursday, November 19th - A Day

Friday, November 20th - B Day

Each week, students will be exposed to a Word of the Week. We will also demonstrate how the word can be used in each of the teacher's classrooms. The word will also be displayed in each classroom on the board or wall with a definition.

Word of the Week for November 16th -Diagram: To make a drawing or outline of something and label its parts.

Attached below is a list of currently run clubs and activities run through Matthew Henson. I tried to include the timeframe of year the group meets. There are some activities that must have a school staff supervise. If there is not a staff member available, we are not able to offer the group, such as SGA this school year. However, if there is a club or activity that you would like to see offered, please fill out the microsoft form below.

It's that time of the year again! MHMS is excited to announce the return of the Husky Holiday Shop! Please review the attached flyer and share it with community members! With over 700 students we would love for every student to at least be able to shop for something for their loved ones. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to Mrs. Spriggs (kspriggs@ccboe.com) or Mr. Kemp (dkemp@ccboe.com).

Congratulations to our Students and Teachers of the Month!

6th Grade- Brandon Garcia-Recinos, Brooke Heidemann, Jayden Craig, Messiah Wilson, Olivia Grigore, Camila Chavez Chavez

7th Grade- Riley Belle, Aniyah Nevels, Briley Burcham, Sienna Bailey, Elaine Ibanez, Elektra Fry

8th Grade- Eleanor Sanchez, Farrah Campbell, Keilah Donelson, Jacob Bedico, Briella Graves, Kayo Thomas

Yearbooks!

Yearbooks are officially on sale for all pre-orders! All pre-ordered yearbooks will arrive with our extra copies in late May and will be given directly to students in the final weeks of school. Yearbooks cost $30 with additional cost for accessories or personalization.

Here is the link for yearbook orders: Matthew Henson Middle School – Yearbook Order Center

Students are currently in the process of voting for our yearbook cover. This is part of their second class visit to the media center as a survey vote. The most popular cover as voted by students will be the theme for this year!

Library Media Center Updates

We have two new popular books from fan favorite series: Dog Man: A Sprinkle in Time and Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Fight or Flight. We have multiple copies of both books, but they are checked out quickly! If your student wants a chance to read these new books, have them come to the library before homeroom and/or place a hold when they are in with their class next time!

We have already checked out over 1,400 books so far in just the first quarter alone! Our students are selecting great series, graphic novels, new titles, and sampling so much of what we have here in the library. Please continue to encourage your students to read whatever makes them happy and ask them about what they are reading! Reading is one of the simplest ways to support academic progress, emotional growth, and mental health! As an added suggestion, even middle schoolers aren't too old to do some reading aloud together!

The Matthew Henson PTO does not charge membership fees. Every parent, guardian, and staff member at Matthew Henson is automatically a member of our PTO, and we warmly welcome everyone to join us at our PTO meetings throughout the year.

All meetings will be hosted via Zoom, with invitation links and meeting agendas sent out via email each month. In the meantime, you can sign up for our email distribution list or follow us on our PTO Instagram and Facebook pages to stay connected.

Email List: https://forms.gle/F5WJku8Qehr9PSDS9

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/matthewhensonpto

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MatthewHensonMSPTO

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to us at matthewhensonpto@gmail.com.

All missing classwork assigned before interim is due before grades are submitted for interim. Similarly, all late classwork assigned after interim is due before grades are submitted for report cards. Late work will not be accepted after these due dates. It is the student’s responsibility to obtain additional copies of assignments if they do not have the original.

· It is the student's responsibility to make sure that missed material is handed in on time based on their absence(s).

· If a student sits in class and completes no work, they will receive a maximum of 50% when the assignment is submitted late.

· Students will have the following percentage deducted per assignment, when an assignment is submitted late.

o 6th grade – up to 10%

o 7th grade – up to 20%

o 8th grade – up to 30%

We are officially in the second quarter.

November 16

8th Grade Space Foundation Visit

November 18

PTO Ledo Spirit Night 4:00-9:00 PM

November 19
2 Hour Early Dismissal

November 23

8th Grade Mt. Vernon Field Trip

November 25–27
Thanksgiving Break - Schools Closed

The information below contains information that is repeated weekly.

There are no changes to the bookbag/backpack rule for students for the 2026-2027 school year. The CCPS rule on bookbags and backpacks states that students may bring their bag to school, but it must be stored upon arrival and retrieved upon departure at the end of the day. During the school day, students can carry their laptop sleeve and/or hand-size bag for personal items.

For more information, see the Student Personal Property section on Page 15 of the Code of Student Conduct. See the graphic below for examples of bags and carrying cases that are compliant with the CCPS policy. The policy does not allow students to carry zippered binders.

As the weather is getting colder, we have shared that winter jackets are not permitted to be worn during the school day. Examples of jackets that need to be kept in the locker are pictured below.

One of our goals is to provide a safe and secure environment when your child is being transported by county school buses or private vehicle.

The bus loading and unloading zone is located in the front parking lot and is entered using the front driveway. Buses will exit using this driveway as well as Henson Road. No private vehicles are allowed in this area from 8:00 AM to 8:30 AM or from 2:50 PM to 3:15 PM. As in the past, the “drop off” and “pick-up” area for students being transported by private vehicle is in the rear of the building at the cafeteria entrance. Parents must use Henson Road to access this “drop off” and “pick-up” zone. Students can be dropped off between 8:15 AM and 8:30 AM. Students are considered tardy (unexcused) if they are not in their 1st block class before the 8:30 AM bell. In the afternoon students can be picked up in this same area from 3:00 PM to 3:10 PM. Students who are not picked up by 3:10 PM will be in the main office for sign out. No child may ride with another adult unless we have written permission from the parents granting permission. Parents who pick up their child in the back need to be aware that the buses will begin to exit using Henson Road at approximately 3:05 PM.

The CCPS Code of Student Conduct committee made some changes to the guiding document for the 2026-2027 school year.

We have highlighted some of the frequent topics on the attached document for your review.

Students may bring their phone or device to school, but once school begins the device must be powered completely off (not on vibrate or silent mode) and must remain in a non-visible, secure location.

We will continue to review our discipline steps with students as they are getting acclimated to the school year. The graphic below shows the steps with utilize if disruptive behavior occurs.

Authorized parents/guardians may pick up their child from the main office any time before 2:45 pm as an early dismissal (photo id must be provided). Those listed as an “Emergency Contact” are not authorized to pick up a student without written consent from the authorized parent/guardian. Written consent can be provided physically to our main office or can be emailed to Ms. Jelissa Jones (jejjones@ccboe.com) AND Ms. Kendra Watson (ljwatson@ccboe.com). Authorized parents/guardians are those listed on a child’s birth certificate or those granted guardianship by a judge (court documents signed by a judge must be provided).

Below is the administrator caseload and contact info:

8th Grade Administrator

Adam Kennedy - akennedy@ccboe.com

7th Grade Administrator

Derrick Thornton - dsthornton@ccboe.com

6th Grade Administrator

Brittany Yhap - byhap@ccboe.com

Below is counselor caseload and contact info:

Angela Giddins - agiddins@ccboe.com

8th Grade Counselor

Katrina Spriggs - kspriggs@ccboe.com

7th Grade Counselor

Alexandra Eichel - aeichel@ccboe.com

6th Grade Counselor

Jessica Gray - jrgray@ccboe.com

Pupil Personnel Worker (PPW)

Main Office hours are 7:45 AM-3:30 PM. All school visitors must provide photo identification and state purpose of visit at the front door intercom. The main office has the right to deny entry if identification and purpose of visit cannot be verified.

Principals and Counselors perform daily duties that include several meetings and observations throughout the school day. If you are looking to meet with a principal or counselor, it is strongly encouraged to call ahead to schedule an appointment, as walk-ins cannot always be accommodated. Remember to choose patience and kindness, as our staff works hard to make everyone a priority.

Matthew Henson Middle School

3535 Livingston Road

Indian Head, MD 20640

Mrs. Christina Caballero, Principal

301-753-1784 Office

301-944-0793 Fax

Visit us on the web at HOME - Matthew Henson Middle School (ccboe.com)

INSTAGRAM: @matthewhensonms and @ccab_principal