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Opening Day Letter 21-22 SY
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Announcements
Upcoming Dates
August 23rd - Junior Aviator Schedules will be available
September 1st - Incoming 6th Grade Parent Orientation
September 8th - First Day of School (Single Session Day)
September 8th - First Day of School Pictures with the Junior Aviator
Grade 6 - 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm
Grade 7 - 2:30 pm to 3:30 pm
Grade 8 - 3:30 pm to 4:30 pm
September 10th - 6th Grade Ice Cream Social
September 22nd - Junior Aviator Back to School Night (6:30 pm)
Middle School Parents & Guardians,
I would like to thank you for taking this journey with me each week during this past school year. I've said it once, and I will say it a million times to anyone who wants to hear it, I am PROUD of our teachers. I am PROUD of our support staff (each and every one of them!). I am PROUD of our parents/guardians. I am proud of our Administrators. Most of all, I AM PROUD OF OUR STUDENTS! You have shown the world what guts and grit really look like. Not only did we endure, but I believe that we thrived during this most unprecedented time! One day you're learning from home on a Google Meet and the next day you're back in a classroom. Then, the opposite happened! You're in school learning with your friends and teachers and before you know it, you're back home learning from your bedroom back on a Google Meet. I don't know if young Mastro would have ever been able to survive this type of situation, and for that, I am SUPER PROUD OF ALL OF YOU!!Many of you might not have noticed :-), but I send lots of emails :-). But honestly, the best part (and I'm not exaggerating!), I sometimes get 80-90 email responses each week following "The JAFF!" This includes students, parents, guardians, and staff members! I know that the JAFF is supposed to be a weekly newsletter to keep everyone informed and in the loop as to what is going on in our school (and hopefully, it is!), but to me, The JAFF is more of a mood-setter because I firmly believe that WE SHOULD ALL TRY AND START EACH AND EVERY DAY WITH A SMILE! That's worked for me, and I hope that I can influence others (especially our children) to understand the value and importance of being positive... NO MATTER WHAT!!! Whether we closed the schools like we did last March, whether we were learning from home, hybrid, or in-person (without fail), The JAFF was there, and so was our Junior Aviator Family! We stuck together through some pretty difficult times and in the end, WE MADE IT!!Congratulations to our Junior Aviators that are moving on to High School. Trust me when I say that I miss you all already!!! If you ever need anything, my door is always open!!! Also, welcome to our new incoming Junior Aviators from Euclid and Lincoln!!! I am very excited for you to begin your Middle School Journey!!! We are going to have a blast!!!Mr. MastropietroAt Hasbrouck Heights Middle School, we work hard each day to create the best possible learning environment for our students and staff. We will continue to work as a team in order to provide a safe learning environment that is both challenging and nurturing, so that our students may continue to grow into well-rounded, responsible young adults. Our outstanding team of educators will work diligently to ensure that our students develop the necessary skills needed to be successful in high school and beyond. Although this school year may be much different than the norm, we will continue to set high expectations for our students and we will encourage them to push themselves to their fullest potential each and every day.
We are committed to your child’s education and we will work tirelessly to ensure that they achieve the highest possible academic achievements, while at the same time, develop their interpersonal skills, character, and self-esteem. We truly believe in our teachers, staff members, community, and most importantly, our Junior Aviators! We look forward to working with our students, parents, PTSA, and the entire community of Hasbrouck Heights throughout the 2020-2021 school year.
CONGRATULATIONS, JUNIOR AVIATORS!
STEAM AWARDS
Hasbrouck Heights Middle School has put itself on the map as one of the top Middle School Robotics/STEAM programs in New Jersey.
CoderZ Mid-Atlantic Championships at NJIT
The Cyber Robotics Coding Competition (CRCC) is an exciting and fun online tournament for students of all levels to participate and learn about STEM, coding, robotics, and technology career paths. CRCC is an innovative robotics tournament that excites and engages students in coding. Schools can compete and involve students through gaming and competition in STEM, coding, and tech literacy. No previous experience is necessary, everyone can participate. CRCC is cloud-based, can be accessed from any computer, and uses a simulation of virtual 3D Robots that perform complex tasks and missions. By learning to program, planning, and strategizing the virtual robot to participate, students will compete within their class, grade, school, district, and state to win stages and progress to the finals. We placed 2nd overall at the CRCC Mid Atlantic Championships at NJIT, 17th in the nation, and inducted into the 2019/20 CRCC Hall of Fame!
Samsung Solve for Tomorrow Award
Celebrating our 10th anniversary, this nationwide contest is designed to boost interest and proficiency in Science, Technology, Engineering, and MATH (STEM), and challenges public school teachers and students in grades 6-12 to show how STEM can be applied to help improve their local community. The Junior Aviators created an invention to help the blind. There is a sensor that beeps when you are getting close to a wall or any object. This an invention that could be very helpful and make the world a better place.
Vex IQ Competition
These matches consist of Driving Skills Matches, which will be entirely driver-controlled, and Programming Skills Matches, which will be autonomous with limited human interaction. The object of the game is to attain the highest score by Scoring Balls in or on Cubes, and Scoring Cubes in Corner Goals or on Platforms. The students spent many weeks building and programming their robots. We won the best team award at the VEX IQ Competition. It is better known as the Awesome Award for Character and Teamwork. This award was given to our 6th Grade Junior Aviators!!! We are extremely proud of this award and all of the other schools in the competition agreed that our kids were most deserving. We strive each day for our Junior Aviator to have great character, compassion, integrity, and leadership!
SPELLING BEE
For the last eight years, we have had our very own Junior Aviator Spelling Bee. The winner gets to compete in the North Jersey Spelling Bee at Bergen Community College. Each and every year, the Junior Aviators have produced some tremendous performances! In 2015, one of our students won the North Jersey Spelling Bee and competed in the championship in Washington D.C. Last year, we had a student finish in the top 50 in all of North Jersey.
MIDDLE SCHOOL CONTACT INFORMATION:
Mr. Joseph Mastropietro- Middle School Principal (201) 288-1218
Mr. Frank D’Amico- Middle School Vice-Principal (201) 338-8815
Mrs. Lisa Mason- Main Office/Attendance (201) 393‐8170
Mrs. Cathy Behr- Clerical/ Main Office (201) 338-8169
Main Office Fax #‐ (201) 288‐2083
Mrs. Mary Neumann/Mrs. Rita Perdomo- School Nurse (201) 393‐8160
Guidance- Mrs. Lindsey Gesell Grades 6-8 (A-L) (201) 393-8167
Guidance- Mrs. Kerrie O’Hagan Grades 6-8 (M-Z) (201) 393-8156
Special Services Department (201) 393‐8151
CST- Ms. Dawn Johnson/ Ms. Gallina (Grades 6 &7) (201) 393-8368
CST- Mrs. Suzanne Gallo (Grade 8) (201) 338-8818
SAC‐ Mrs. Barbara Christianson (201) 288‐1426
MIDDLE SCHOOL GOALS: 2020-2021
Goal #1
Throughout the 2020-2021 SY, high-quality assessments will be used to evaluate student progress based on the curriculum & standards taught to prepare students for
High School. This will be measured by the collection of SGOs, marking period summative assessments, and common assessments. Throughout the 2020-2021 school year, all assessments will include the standards being assessed. Common Assessments will be tracked on Google Sheets.
- Marking period assessments with standards in all subject areas
- Data Sheets including Go Math Unit Assessments, Social Studies Writing, Science Writing, Language Art Writing and Vocabulary
- SGO’s with standards and student grouping/results
- Lesson plans weekly in Google folders
Goal #2
Virtual Learning will be three major components: Content Delivery, Digital Resources, and Instructional Support.
- Content Delivery defines the online resources students will use for core instructional areas and the supplemental resources that may be used to enhance student learning (ScreenCastify, Go Math, Khan Academy, Newela, IXL, Ed Puzzle, TCI, FlipGrid, Sora, Google Classroom, Google Forms, Google Slides, Jamboard, Padlet, Go Guardian, Edulastics, and Quaver.
- Digital Resources provides the steps the district is taking to ensure that all students will have access to hardware devices and the Internet in order to engage with digital instructional materials (Chromebook pick-up, internet assistance, and pick-up of school material if needed)
- Instructional Support defines the expectations and supports the district will provide for staff to prepare virtual learning resources and how the district will support parents as they assist their children at home (Summer PD, Kiker PD, Opening days of School PD, and PD throughout the school year.
Goal #3
The Middle School will continue the high level of communication with all of the community stakeholders during this unprecedented time.
- Weekly Friday Folders Updates
- Principal Middle Years Newsletters
- Opening of School (Summer Reading/Supply List/Orientation/Handbook/Schedules/Drop off procedures/Opening Day Letter/Opening Day Assurance Sheet/Class Syllabi/Back to School Night (Virtual)/Title 1 Night (Virtual)/Extra Help Schedule/Important Policies
- Middle School Articles in the Town Electronic Newspaper (TapInto) involving academics, clubs, and activities.
- School events (if allowed) including Middle School Play/Geography Bee/Spelling Bee/Beta Induction/Book Fair/Concerts/Field Trips/Field Day/Dances/PI Day/Read Across America Celebration/Junior Aviator Nights
- Teacher Meetings including I & RS, Team meetings, IEP meetings, ELL meeting, and 504 meetings, Department Meetings, SCiP meetings, School Safety Meetings, Parent meetings, and individual teacher meetings
