Hamilton Book Fair Continues!
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November Principal Update: Supporting Your Child's Learning at Home
By John Burkholder
While I am certain that there are things that we can all find to be thankful for as we move through this month of November, there is still the daunting prospect of confronting a pandemic that seems to be ever present, and for our students, a schooling experience that is ever distant. This issue of Hamilton Headlines is all about supporting your child's learning and health at home, and the health of others, as we head into the second quarter of the year and toward the 5-day Thanksgiving break at the end of the month.
Next week parents will have the opportunity to participate in Parent-Teacher conferences. By this time all parents should have been contacted by their child's Advisory teacher with information on how to sign up for a conference. To be as well prepared as possible for conferences, I do encourage all parents to take a look at their child's record of progress so far this year in Infinite Campus. To help you navigate Infinite Campus, I have created a short video that walks you through the parent portal of IC; a video that can be accessed in the next news item.
In addition, in this week's update you will find information on a free tutoring opportunity that all students have access to on Tuesdays after school. This newsletter edition also has information and a link to our Social Work Connect site that features topics on supporting your entire family; a link to information on getting a free, no appointment necessary flu shot; and further information for helping to make sense of the new MMSD middle school report card. There are also items on how to navigate picking up materials at Hamilton during this period of distance learning, along with a feature on helping to support our entire West High School feeder pattern families, including those at Hamilton.
As we move toward our 5-day Thanksgiving break, I wish you good health and the warmth of family, even if that warmth will be coming through this year in the form of facetime meetings and phone calls that connect Thanksgiving tables across the virtual divide.
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Using Infinite Campus at Home to Support Your Child's School Progress |
Click on the below link to access a 13 minute video on how to use the Infinite Campus parent portal to monitor your child's progress in their Hamilton classes. (Note: You will have the option to view the video at a faster speed if you don't have a full 13 minutes!) |
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Supporting Your Child's Learning: Understanding the Middle School Report Card
As you likely know, there have been some changes to grading policies for middle schools in MMSD as we move to a standards-based report card. In turn, the report card has also changed. To learn more about the new report card, please click on the below button for a slideshow with video options prepared by Hamilton Instructional Coach, Kathleen Doherty.
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Extra Support for Your Child: Tuesday Tutoring!
Parents, do you know that we have an after school tutoring program currently running on Tuesdays? If you feel that your child would benefit from some tutoring support in one or more areas of instruction, please encourage them to attend the virtual Tuesday Tutoring sessions.
What: Tuesday Tutoring in all areas: Math, World Language, ELA, etc.
When: Tuesdays after school, 3:30-4:15
Who are the Tutors? Both UW and West High School students are the tutors.
Students can attend the Tuesday Tutoring sessions by clicking on a meeting link that will be sent to them each Tuesday.
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Picking Up Materials at Hamilton to Support Your Child's Learning
Many of you have picked up materials at Hamilton to support your child's learning--thank you! Picking up materials can be confusing, so here is some guidance:
Materials and Supplies: If there is a need for you to pick up materials and supplies at Hamilton for your child, we will communicate with you the specifics of the items to be collected. At times we send a communication to all families, like we did with for the math kits, and at other times we target students at a single grade level or even in a single class.
Location: Materials and supplies to be picked up are located directly inside our main front Hamilton doors on Waukesha Street, unless communication has specified something different.
Times: 8am-4pm on regular school days.
Access: Picking up materials and supplies is self-serve. Parents can enter the main front doors and pick up items from the tables in the breezeway. Please wear a mask and wait for others who may be present to exit prior to entering the breezeway.
Take Only What You Were Asked to Pick Up: There are several tables in the breezeway, each with clear signage. Only take the materials and supplies that you were asked to pick up, as other items are for other students in other grades/classes.
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Social Work Connect:
Supporting the Whole Family
A reminder that our Hamilton Social Worker has created a Google Classroom for parents. The classroom is a place to house some great information and links to outstanding support resources for families. Currently linked in the Classwork Stream of this Google Classroom are topics such as info on a a pop up pantry, the Empty Stocking organization, resources for Thanksgiving food baskets, where to get a flu shot, apartment rentals, and more! Just click on the below link to join this parent Google Classroom.
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Supporting Ongoing Health in a Pandemic:
Getting a Flu Shot
For families open to getting the annual flu vaccine please note that regardless of your insurance coverage, you can get a free drive-through vaccine at the Alliant Energy Center! If you have not yet received your flu shot and are looking for an option without having to schedule an appointment, check out the below link for specific dates and times for the Alliant Center clinics! Getting your flu shot is a great way to protect your own health, the health of your family, and also alleviate stress on the health care system during this pandemic.
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Broadening the Net of Support: The Madison West High Collaborative
The VHMS PTO and Hamilton School continue to work with the Madison West High Area Collaborative to help families who need assistance due to pandemic-related losses. There are many ways to support this effort. If you are able, please consider donating time, supplies, or funds to support the Collaborative and their mission. See the Madison West High Area Collaborative Facebook page at this link for information on providing support for this important initiative.
In addition, if your family needs assistance or you have other questions about the Collaborative's work, please contact Hamilton social worker and West High Area Collaborative member Kristin Ensminger.
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This and last week's pics in this section are from last fall's Hamilton Hawktoberfest Dance. |
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Upcoming Dates of Interest |
Mark your calendars for these upcoming dates:
November
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6-19--Book Fair
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19--No School: Parent-Teacher Conferences
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25-27--No School: Thanksgiving Break
December
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7--Regular School Day!
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21-Jan 1--Winter Break
January
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4--School Resumes
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18--MLK Jr. Holiday-No School
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22--End of First Semester
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25--Third Quarter Begins
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Hamilton Quick Links:
Report an Absence: 204-4702
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Photo Finish
Our Hamilton PE teachers have been working to get our students outside and exercising! The photos in this section and above depict students participating in the Hamilton PE Rock Treasure Hunt that students are doing as part of their weekly activity logs. The rocks were placed in 6 different parks/playgrounds and students could walk, bike, run, or roller blade to these playgrounds/parks to find rocks that had drawings on them or positive words. Once they found them the PE teachers asked students to take a selfie showing themselves with the rocks they found.
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