Important dates
September 17 - half day professional day (PLCs); dismissal at 12:32 pm
September 19 - Hixson Community Open House, 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm
October 4 - Picture retake/make up day
THANK YOU!!!
Thank you so much for an awesome week! We know that there have been many challenges along the way, such as the weather on Monday during dismissal, but the positives most definitely outweigh the negatives! I have received a ton of positive feedback from parents this week about their students' having a great experience at Hixson so far, and that is because of YOU! We are already off to a great start with establishing a school where all students want to be. Let's keep our eyes on that goal and remember to stay the course. Every single moment counts. Our students are so lucky to have you to help teach them, care for them, mentor them, and guide them through their educational journey.
Hixson administrative team's reflections on this week
Running a middle school of 1,000+ is hard. Covering an additional 77,000 sq ft of space is hard. Re-working the logistics of nearly everything that we've known pertaining to Hixson is hard. Managing an additional 340 families is hard. As a result of all of this and more, we need you to be patient, flexible, and understanding. There simply is no way that we can think of every single detail at every single moment of every single day. School administration is like a giant game of Whack-a-Mole that often feels impossible to win....and what is winning anyway? There are four of us, 1,000+ students and families, and 130 staff members. There is just a lot going on, and we are being pulled in what feels like a gazillion different directions. If there is an issue that needs to be addressed, please just let us know and we will address it. If we forget about something, or if something falls off our radar, just tell us again. At this point, we all could use some reminders and a giant dose of grace.
83rd issue of Hixson Happenings
Click HERE to read the most recent Hixson Happenings!
Attendance
Please remember to take your attendance within the first five minutes of class. Be flexible with tardies during the first two weeks of school because 67% of our students are brand new to the building. I've included the link to the HXMS Attendance Procedures if you need to review it.
Face coverings
A question has come up about students wearing neck gaitors as their face covering. This year, the district guidance does not specify a certain type of face covering that is allowed to be worn. It says face coverings must cover the mouth and nose. We posed the question to district level leadership. Students are allowed to wear neck gaitors. Please let me know if you have any questions.
Staff Picture Directory
Ready to start putting faces with names so that you can learn who your new colleagues are? Click the link below to access the Hixson Middle School Staff Picture Directory!
Professional Learning Communities update
We will have development on Professional Learning Communities for all staff on Friday, September 17, which is a half day PD day. This will be our official kick off/re-launch, and it will be led by Hixson administration, Jill Right, Christy Cox, and Hope Strasser. We will no longer work with DCI.
For those of you who have never been a part of a PLC before, you may be wondering what it is. I prefer the following definition from Solution Tree:
It is the way the adults in a school decide to act and work together to ensure high levels of learning for all students. It is a commitment to continuous improvement that requires a shared vision of the kind of school we want to create, along with a clear understanding of the mission or reason we exist.
Solution Tree explains that the entire school is the PLC. Collaborative Learning Teams are the engines that drive the work of the PLC. You have all been placed in Collaborative Learning Teams. Some of you have worked together before, and some of you have not. Some of you have experience with CLTs, and some of you do not. This is all okay. We are going to work very hard to get everyone on a productive path towards establishing a strong Professional Learning Community at Hixson.
Community Open House - September 19, 2021
Hixson will host a community Open House and ribbon cutting on Sunday, September 19 from 2:00 pm to 3:30 pm. During this time, community members will have the opportunity to participate in student-led tours, view the ribbon cutting, listen to a few short speeches (Dr. Simpson, BOE, etc), hear Cbabi Bayoc conduct "artist talks" about our murals, enjoy refreshments, take fun pictures at a Hixson photo booth, and more!
This is a reminder that you will have to provide live instruction for students who are quarantined. You will need to use a webcam (we have these in the building from last year) or open a Zoom on your laptop to provide that access. Please be sure your Zoom links are ready to go should you need them.
At this point, at least one person from each team or department has received an invitation from S'Mores to become an editor for your newsletter. The first newsletter that you will publish on your own will go out on Friday, September 10. Sarah Magruder and I will no longer update your newsletter for you after the September 3 newsletter. You can take over earlier if you'd like. Just let Sarah Magruder know so she knows not to expect your info on your Google doc. Your newsletter needs to be updated by the end of the day every Thursday. It is already linked to the Hixson Happenings. You simply update it, press "Publish Changes" and log out. I will send everything to parents on Fridays.
