HIGBY'S Guide to HIES: Middle School 2023

HIGBY’S GUIDE TO

2023-2024

school

Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School develops in students a love of learning, respect for self and others, faith in God and a sense of service to the world community.

-The Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School Mission Statement

STUDENT

WELCOME

Welcome to the Fred Rowan Family Middle School at Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School. We hope that you love it here as much as we do. This Middle School Guide will be an introduction for what you need to get started in sixth, seventh and eighth grade, and the faculty mentioned throughout the guide will be happy to answer any other questions you may have. Note that placement tests and course registration will occur in the spring semester, and schedules are typically released the second week of July.

Please refer to the Middle School Handbook via myHIES for more information.

2023-2024 MIDDLE SCHOOL KEY DATES

AUGUST 2023

Monday, Aug. 14

New Family Campus Kickoff Event

Tuesday, Aug. 15

Orientations – Details to be announced

Wednesday, Aug. 16

First Day of Classes, Sixth, Seventh and Eighth Grades

SEPTEMBER

Friday, Sept. 1

Labor Day Weekend – Early Dismissal

Monday, Sept. 4

Labor Day – School Holiday

OCTOBER

Monday, Oct.9 and Tuesday, Oct. 10

Fall Break – School Holiday

NOVEMBER

Friday, Nov. 17

Grandparents’ and Special Friends’ Day for PS & LS - (No School for 6th-12th)

Monday, Nov. 20 - Friday, Nov. 24

Thanksgiving Break

Monday, Nov. 27

Classes Resume

DECEMBER

Friday, Dec. 15

Christmas Break Begins – Early Dismissal

Monday, Dec. 18 – Jan. 1

Christmas Break

JANUARY 2024

Tuesday, Jan. 2

Teacher Professional Learning Day - No School for Students

Wednesday, Jan. 3

Classes Resume

Monday, Jan. 15

Martin Luther King Jr. Day – School Holiday

FEBRUARY

Monday, Feb. 19

Presidents’ Day – School Holiday

MARCH

Monday, March 4 - Friday, March 8

Spring Break

Friday, March 29

Good Friday – School Holiday

APRIL

Monday, April 1

Easter Monday – School Holiday

MAY

Thursday, May 23

Last Day of School – Early Dismissal

Dates may be subject to change.

GO BEARS!

Dr. Matt Laliberte Principal matt.laliberte@hies.org

Jessica Woods Middle School Nurse jessica.woods@hies.org

Parker Conley Sixth Grade Dean parker.conley@hies.org

Maureen Danzig Seventh Grade Dean maureen.danzig@hies.org

Kristen O’Brien Eighth Grade Dean kristen.obrien@hies.org

Rev. David Wagner Middle School Chaplain david.wagner@hies.org

Nicole Hopkins Middle School Counselor nicole.hopkins@hies.org

Hayley Perlis MS Multicultural Affairs Coordinator hayley.perlis@hies.org

Teachers

Students will have a different teacher per subject as part of a block schedule. Any questions about a subject-related concern should be directed to the teacher.

Advisor

Students are assigned an advisor for the year as part of a group that is about 15 students and will meet daily. The advisor provides general academic support and should be notified about any health or home life concerns.

Dean

Each grade level has a dean for academic, behavioral and emotional support. The dean is a point of contact for both students and parents.

IMPORTANT PARTS OF THE DAY/WEEK

 R E c ESS

We have recess here at HIES Middle School! At 11:45 a.m., sixth-graders are dismissed for outdoor recreation at the field or on the plaza, and then travel to lunch in the Dining Hall. The seventh- and eighth-graders eat their lunch at 11:45 a.m. and then are dismissed for outdoor recess time. After each quarter, grade levels may rotate the order of lunch and recess.

 G RADE L E v EL & cO mmuni T y Tim E

Each grade level has a weekly meeting or all-middle school assembly. Service learning opportunities are made available both on and off campus throughout the year.

 BEAR DEn, BEAR BuS, BEAR cA mpS: AuxiLiARy pROGRA mS In partnership with our Auxiliary Programs, we offer a supervised study hall, known as Bear Den, for all middle school students after regular dismissal at 3:10 p.m. on most weekdays until 6:00 p.m. For more information on Bear Bus shuttle options, and summer Bear Camps, please contact the Director of Auxiliary Programs, Jessica Vance, by email at jessica.vance@hies.org or visit www.hies.org/campus-life/ after-school-programs.



cHA p EL

We gather as a community of students, faculty and staff in weekly chapel services that affirm our Episcopal Christian traditions and recognize religious diversity. We celebrate values that unite us, nurture the spiritual framework in our lives and celebrate God’s love for all people. Parents are welcome to attend.

YOUR SCHEDULE

Your weekly schedule will look similar to this sample. (Please refer to myHIES for more specifics.)

Note: Core Classes meet four times per week.

WHERE TO PURCHASE YOUR UNIFORM

New Uniforms

Dennis Uniforms (formerly Mills)

6348 Roswell Road, Suite 10B

Sandy Springs, GA 30328

School Code: 3559

Gently Worn Uniforms

Bear WearHouse

Alumni Hall, Terrace Level

Open Wednesdays, 7:30-10:30 a.m.

Outwear and Spirit Wear

HIES Campus Shop

Humanities Building, Main Level

Open during school hours.

MIDDLE SCHOOL UNIFORM GUIDE

 u nif OR m RE qui RE m E n TS

» A gray, short sleeved polo is the uniform top, paired with khaki shorts, khaki pants or a plaid skort/skirt as the uniform bottom. Shoes should be rubber soled for PE activities and predominately one-color. Students may also wear black, brown or tan leather or suede shoes. Boots are discouraged. Leggings or tights are permitted on cold days with the skirts/skorts. P.E. uniforms are a HIES t-shirt and HIES gym shorts with tennis shoes.

» Please remember to label all items with your child’s name. Items that remain in the Lost and Found for more than two weeks will be donated.

» Be advised that there may be occasions for “out of uniform” days (see handbook for dress code guidelines) when students are encouraged to wear HIES team or spirit wear. Students are invited to also purchase Homecoming or other special event t-shirts. Every Friday students may dress in “BearWear” shirts to show school spirit.

IMPORTANT: Students must wear their access key card on a lanyard or visible belt clip throughout the day. Failure to do so is considered a dress code violation. Please see student handbook for more detailed information.

FRED ROWAN FAMILY MIDDLE SCHOOL

THE BUILDING

The sixth-grade hallway is on the bottom floor of the Middle School. Students will have advisory and most of their core classes in this hallway. Lockers and cubbies are located here as well.

The seventh grade advisories and lockers are located on the upper level. The eighth grade advisories and lockers are located on the main floor.

*BMC IS THE BEEN MEDIA CENTER

CAMPUS MAP

1. Stewart-Rathburn Family Alumni Hall Business, Development & Facilities

2. Alan A. Lewis Primary School

3. STEM Building (Upper School) HIES Administration, Admissions, Dining Hall

4. Groesbeck Hall Marketing + Communications, PEAK Institute, Immersive Theatre Screen, Program for Global Studies

5. Owen Family Quadrangle

6. Humanities Building (Upper School) US Administration, Campus Shop, Technology and IT Help Desk

7. Baker Field and Track

8. Main & Duncan Gymnasiums

9. “The Matt” Indoor Batting Cages

10. Baseball & Softball Field

11. Fred Rowan Family Middle School

12. Fine Arts Building

13. Dorothy Sullivan Lower School

14. Parish Hall

15. Holy Innocents’ Episcopal Church

16. Pedestrian Tunnel Entrance

17. South Campus Turf Field

18. South Campus Practice Field



MIDDLE SCHOOL CARPOOL

mOR nin G cAR p OOL

Students should be dropped off at the MS circle. The oneway entrance is located on Powers Ferry Road (see map). The bell to begin school rings at 8:10 a.m. All students should be in their first period class before the bell rings. Students may arrive as early as 7:30 a.m.

 Af TER n OO n cAR p OOL

The final bell rings at 3:10 p.m. Teachers are available to schedule office hours before or after the regular school day.

Sixth-graders without LS or US siblings should be picked up in front of the Fine Arts Building (FAB).

Students in seventh or eighth grade with siblings (and families with multi-division pickups) wait at the Middle School Circle.

Eighth-grade students and those with Upper or Lower school siblings may be picked up at Groesbeck Hall.

GO BEARS!

YOUR LAPTOP

All HIES Middle School students are issued Apple MacBook

AirBook laptop computers for their academic use at school and home. Students will be assigned @bearsmail.org email addresses.

Exp E c TAT i O n S

» Bring your laptop to school with a fully charged battery.

» Keep your laptop in its case when not in use and in locked locker, if not on your person.

» Internet should not be used in class unless authorized by faculty.

» The Laptop Program Student Agreement is available for review at www.hies.org/academics/technology.

» To submit a ticket for tech support, visit https://hiestech. on.spiceworks.com/portal.

The Technology Office/IT Help Desk is located on the ground floor of the Upper School Humanities building.

LOCKERS AND BOOKS

Required and recommended textbooks are made available via an online vendor. More information will be made available after schedules are confirmed during the summer months. Supply packets, locker accessories and PE uniforms are available from the Campus Shop, located on the main level of the Humanities Building (online ordering is also available).

Locks are built into the hallway lockers and students will receive the combination at the start of the school year with ample time to practice opening and securing lockers. Students are welcome to personalize/organize the inside using magnets and can add HIES sports team or club magnets to the outside of the locker door.

SUPPLIES

The HIES Campus Shop provides easy online ordering for all required supplies that can be delivered as a packet to your home over the summer before school begins. If you choose to purchase supplies separately from the school supply packets, please be aware that complete lists may vary by grade level.

G E n ERAL Supp L i ES

The following items from the supply packet are recommended:

» Pencils

» Blue, black, and red pens

» Earbuds or headphones

» Colored highlighters

» 3-ring binder (1 inch needed for every subject area; some subjects may be able to share binders)

» Plastic tab dividers (5 sets)

» Wide-ruled paper (for each binder)

» Colored pencils

» Dry erase markers

» Flash drive (8GB or larger)

» Small pencil sharpener

» 3x5 note cards

» Composition notebooks (2)

The Campus Shop is located on the ground floor of the Upper School Humanities building.

STUDENT

 All students must have a completed Magnus Health profile before they can attend school. See myHIES Resources tab.

Students cannot receive medication (Prescription/ OTC) until parent permission completed in Magnus Health.

 Students cannot carry medications (Prescription/ OTC) unless authorized by a HIES Nurse. EpiPens, inhalers and insulin can be

carried by a student.

If a student needs to take PRN medication during the school day, it must be kept in the clinic. Please complete the medication administration portion in Magnus.

 If your child has a specific condition that requires medical attention, please upload a MD signed Action Plan onto your student’s Magnus profile.

pLEASE EmAIL ILLnESS DETAILS AnD upDATES, DOcTORS’ nOTES AnD HEALTH TEST RESuLTS TO THE mIDDLE ScHOOL nuRSE.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Many students have private email and social media accounts. Parents are strongly encouraged to monitor and set expectations for appropriate digital citizenship. There is no academic reason for any Middle School student to have a social networking account. When virtual behavior impinges on the learning environment of the school, it may become necessary for the administration to become involved. Please see the Student Handbook for more information.

Students are permitted to have cell phones on campus, but it should be off and stored in their locker throughout the day.

Sixth grade is a year of growth and learning. We do not expect them to figure it all out right away. There is a grace period as students learn how to be responsible with their new freedom.

For all Middle School grades, the goals of administering disciplinary consequences are as follows:

» To prevent recurrence of the behavior

» To educate the students about appropriate action

» To maintain acceptable standards of behavior within the community

» To protect the rights and safety of other members of the community the Grade Deans and Principal have discretion regarding disciplinary action.

We utilize an online infraction system so that parents can monitor any behavior issues at school.



STUDENT INVOLVEMENT

ATHLET ic S

All sports are open to seventhand eighth-graders, subject to tryout requirements. Please see the HIES website under the athletics for a complete listing. Access for sixth-graders is varied depending on spots remaining from older grades.

fALL

Cross Country

Football

Softball

Volleyball

 f in E A RTS

Basketball

Diving

Swimming

Wrestling

Lacrosse

Soccer

Track and Field

All middle school students participate in Fine Arts class offerings throughout the year such as Chorus, Band, Orchestra, Sound Engineering, General Music and Visual Arts classes. The spring musical and Middle School Play are also open to all sixth through eighth grade students. Students interested in joining the Drumline, please contact roxanne.kerry@hies.org.

 cL u B O ff ER in GS ( yEAR - RO un D )

Clubs rotate every trimester. At the beginning of every session, all of the clubs participate in a Club Fair. The students will have the opportunity to learn about each of the middle school’s 20+ clubs and sign up. Club time is usually scheduled during the day. Some of the options include (subject to change):

»

»

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» MEET YOUR FINE ARTS TEACHERS at www.hies.org/arts

» MEET YOUR COACHES at www.athletics.hies.org

WInTER SpRInG

GOLDEN BEAR PARENT INVOLVEMENT

pAREnT ORGAnizATiOnS

There are a variety of opportunities for parents to connect as members of the HIES community, including the Parents’ Association, the Fine Arts Alliance, the Crimson + Gold Booster Club and other affinity groups such as Holy Innocents’ Cultural Awareness and Acceptance Partners and the HIES Prayer Group, among others. The Parents’ Association monthly email newsletter is a reliable source of dates and events and provides contact information for Grade Level Representatives. Please visit www.hies.org/campus-life/parent-organizations or visit them on Instagram @hies_parents_association.

pAREnT niGHT, pRincipAL’S cOffEES & cOnfEREncES

Within the first month of school, parents are invited to an evening event to learn about schedules, curriculum and to hear from classroom teachers during Parent Night. Principal’s Coffees occur in the fall and the spring with special focus areas. Parent-Teacher conferences are scheduled at least twice yearly and students are encouraged to be a part of the conversations to discuss goals and growth.

Parents can access the online gradebook via myHIES in order to regularly review assignments and progress.

TIPS FOR SUCCESS IN MIDDLE SCHOOL

(from HIES Middle School students)

Study more than you think you need.

Do homework early if you have time.

Be confident enough to ask questions.

Pay attention. Study hard.

Always be on task.

Charge your laptop every night.

Make friends with the people with lockers next to you.

Try to avoid missing school.

Be organized.

Talk to your teacher.

Get enough sleep.