NO SCHOOL FRIDAY

Teacher and Staff Member Professional Development

February 23, 2023

Vol. 4, Issue 29

Happy Birthday Velma Bell Hamilton!

Please join us is recognizing the the birthday of Velma Fern Bell Hamilton, who was born on February 28, 1910. A bit of background on Mrs. Hamilton shows that she was born in Pontotok, Mississippi, and later moved to Wisconsin. Velma Hamilton graduated from Beloit High School as valedictorian. She then went on to earn a degree in Sociology from Beloit College, followed by a master's degree in Sociology from UW Madison. In 1950, she was hired as an English teacher at Madison Vocational School, the predecessor to Madison Area Technical College (now Madison College), becoming their first African American teacher.

Velma Hamilton was a trailblazer in Madison's civil rights and education communities and helped found the Madison chapter of the NAACP. In 1974 she was named Mother of the Year for the State of Wisconsin. In recognition of her many years of dedication to civil rights, education, and children, Madison Schools named our school in her honor.

Velma Bell Hamilton died on July 9, 2009 at age 99.

MSCR Summer Camp Applications

MSCR Summer Camp applications will open March 13th at noon. If families need any help applying for camp, or if a family is in need of financial assistance, they can reach out to Hamilton Middle Social Worker Bethany Cooke for assistance. 

Families can visit the below links for more information on MSCR Summer Camps.

Current 6th and 7th Grade Families

Attention 6th and 7th Grade Families: Next week during Advisory, your child is going to be spending some time selecting classes for next year. Sixth graders will get to select their Music and World Language choices, while Seventh graders will get to pick their Music class as well as rank order their preferred Unified Arts classes. Throughout the next week, make sure you're having conversations at home about what classes you want your child signing up for next year. More information will be sent directly to your email, so be on the lookout for more communication!

Reminders

Paid UW Research Opportunity

UW Madison is offering a paid participation research opportunity for children between the ages of 8-12. The study focuses on the biological basis of childhood anxiety, a very common condition that impacts up to 20% of children and can cause social, academic, and family disruptions. The below linked study flyer invites interested families to visit a UW website to learn more about the study, and to complete an online screening if they think their child may be a good fit for the study. Interested families are compensated with a $10 gift card if they choose to complete the study screening. Study visits are completed outside of school hours.

Photo Finish:

Students in Ms. Klaas's French classes participated in a Mardi Gras celebration this week!

Hamilton Middle Website