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3165 John Hanson Drive

Waldorf, Maryland 20601 2016

From the Principal’s Desk: Hello John Hanson Families,

Thank you for a great September. It was great to meet so many parents at Open House and our first two

PTSO meetings. Keeping the parent communication lines open between home and school is one of our pri-

orities. Please continue to stay involved.

Interim grades were sent home with the students on Monday, October 3rd. If you did not receive one, please call the guidance office. Parents and guardians are encouraged to contact their child’s teachers and counselor if there are concerns about grades. Interims signify the halfway mark so there is time for the stu-dents to improve if there were concerns. Another way to monitor your child is with the agenda book. If they have lost, it a new one can be purchased for $4.00 from the guidance.

John Hanson’s PBIS (Positive Behavioral Intervention and Support) program is designed to assist in decreas-ing discipline problems. The PBIS team sponsored the first school dance on Friday, September 30th. Over 200 students enjoyed dancing, food and photo opportunities. I want to send a special thank you to all the parents that came and helped out. Every month, the committee will be sponsoring events. On November 3rd, we will have the Fall Festival. Students with good behavior will have an opportunity to use their PAT bucks to tour a haunted gym, play games and other activities. If you have any interest in helping out with PBIS activities please, contact Ms. McCormick or Ms. Byrne.

October is National Bullying Prevention Month. Middle School can be a challenging time for children so-cially. When children are confused about friendships, they often will turn to teasing, rumors and threats as a coping mechanism. With the access to social media, it is very easy for students to post mean messages that will go viral. We encourage you to talk with your child frequently about how they are doing and if they are experiencing any difficulties. Have them show you their social media pages so you can check for negative messages. If you have concerns, please reach out to the school counselors. If the problem is repet-itive, have your child get a Bullying and Harassment form from guidance or the front office. We will be conducting lessons and activities this month to raise awareness about the importance of treating everyone respectfully. On October 19th, we will celebrate Unity Day and all students and staff are encouraged to wear orange to show their support. The Math teachers will be giving students a PAT stamp if they wear or-ange on that day.

We are in the process of switching over to a new check in system in the main office. When parents sign in,

it is necessary to show your driver’s license. Please help keep our contact information current by notifying

us when you change your phone number and email.

Please read through the rest of the newsletter to learn of all the upcoming events and more highlights from this past month. Thanks for supporting the John Hanson staff in our mission: To have all students reach their academic po-

tential by providing an environment that is positive, stresses high academic standards, and is safe and or-

derly.

Sincerely,

Susan McCormick

Principal

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The sixth graders are now right at home at JHMS! The sixth grade team has been very impressed with the

students’ transition to middle school. All students are now familiar with their lockers, classroom proce-

dures and teacher expectations. As the end of the marking period approaches, the team looks forward to

seeing many students and parents at the first honor roll assembly. There are future plans for a field trip or

two! Keep an eye out for more details! Thank you to all the families who attended Open House. We appre-

ciate your support!

Each month the faculty and staff select four Students of the Month for each grade level. Students are

nominated for displaying positive character traits at John Hanson. We select students who show responsi-

bility, respect, self – discipline, compassion, cooperation, fairness, honesty, perseverance and pride.

Throughout the year, morning announcements are made describing the character trait we are focusing on

that month. Winners are presented with a Student of the Month certificate and have a group photo tak-

en. The pictures are on display in the hallway throughout the school year. Students will also receive

stamps for their planners and a special treat at lunch. We look forward to recognizing this year’s Students

of the Month.

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The following students were recognized in September for RESPONSIBILITY.

Congratulations to:

Niyehma Garland- “Niyehma always comes to class ready to learn, she demonstrates leadership in her table group and participates regularly with enthusiasm.” - Dr. Crisp-Rugila Aryelle Hubbard- “Aryelle is sure to arrive prepared to class each day. She strives for excellence in Math.” - Mrs. Harding Christien Reid – “Christien takes personal responsibility for himself and his school work. We are pleased to have him as a new 6th grade Patriot.” - Mrs. Crisp Javon Whasington- “Javon is good-natured, prepared for class and ready to work each day.” - Mr. Himmelfarb

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The following students were recognized in September for RESPONSIBILITY.

Congratulations to:

Hailey Carrol- “Hailey shows responsibility on a daily basis in Language Arts. She is involved in many

different clubs and activities outside of Language Arts class, which involve her time, however she is able to

manage all of this, get all of her work completed successfully and make sure she knows what she needs to

do without having to be asked. She is willing to put in whatever time it takes to complete a task. I know that

I can count on Hailey to do what she needs to do!” -Ms. Lysle

Briyette Garcia—"Briyette is motivated and a hard worker. She is very organized and encourages those

around her to also work hard. She is a wonderful asset to my classroom." -Mrs. Davenport

Clayton Jameson- “Clayton is very responsible. He comes to class on time every day. He takes initiative to

pass out necessary materials to start our class efficiently after the bell. Clayton follows the classroom rules on a daily basis without constant reminders. I have learned so much about his character as a student this month. Responsible is definitely a trait that suits him well.” -Mrs. T. Scott

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The following students were recognized in September for RESPONSIBILITY.

Congratulations to:

Gerik Babiarz – “Gerik is a hardworking gentleman. He is well mannered and always pre-pared for class. He is an asset to the class.” – Mrs. Davoy Brook Ellis – “Brook is willing to help not only her fellow classmates, but also her teachers. She is very polite and a joy to have in class.” – Mr. Brashears Luis Hernandez – “Luis is a pleasant young man. He is always very helpful to others.” - Mrs. Davoy Tierra Rush – “Tierra always puts in 100% effort on all work. She is always willing to help her peers. When Tierra is absent, she either gets the work before she is out or calls a relia-ble classmate. When Tierra returns to school, she is already caught up!” – Ms. Huber and Mrs. Butkiewicz

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October

3 Interims issued

10 Columbus Day—School Closed for students

17 Picture Day

18 STI Open House—North Point 6:30 p.m.

19 Unity Day

20 2-hour early dismissal

20 Book Fair—Family Night 5:00—6:30 p.m. Movie “Goosebumps”

21 BIG SCREEN SHOW presentation

24-28 Book Fair

November

1 PTSO Meeting 6:30 p.m.

3 2-hour early dismissal

3 Fall Festival

8 Election Day—Schools closed for students (Parent Conferences)

9 High School Night—6:00 p.m. John Hanson

10 Report Cards mailed

11 Veterans Day—SCHOOL OPEN

15 Math Night—6:30 p.m.

16 2nd STI Open House—North Point 6:30 p.m.

23-25 Thanksgiving Holiday—Schools/Offices Closed

December

1 Middle School Archery Tournament

12 Interims issued

22 2-hour early dismissal

23-1/2 Winter Break

Upcoming Calendar Events

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Each day students go to school or logon to the internet and are bullied by their peers. What is bullying? “Bullying is unwanted, aggressive behavior among school aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time. Bullying in-cludes actions such as making threats, spreading rumors, attacking someone physically or verbally, and excluding someone from a group on purpose” (stopbullying.gov). The effects of bullying can be long lasting and truly effect a child’s emotional, academic, and physical well-being. Please read the following statistics:

· One out of every four students (22%) report being bullied during the school year. (National Center for Educational Statistics, 2015)

· Students who experience bullying are at increased risk for poor school adjustment, sleep difficul-ties, anxiety, and depression. (Center for Disease Control, 2015)

· 19.6% of high school students in the US report being bullied at school in the past year. 14.8% re-ported being bullied online. (Center for Disease Control, 2014)

· 90% of teens who report being cyberbullied have also been bullied offline. (“Seven Fears and the Science of How Mobile Technologies May Be Influencing Adolescents in the Digital Age,” George and Odgers, 2015)

October is bullying prevention month. Statistics show that student bystanders have power to prevent bul-lying. It is reported that roughly 57 percent of bullying incidences stop when a peer intervenes on behalf of another student. The end of bullying starts with each one of us. Join us as we stand united against bul-lying. Wednesday, October 19th is Unity Day. Show your stance against bullying by wearing orange on this day. We will also have special presentations by the THE BIG SCREEN SHOW on Friday, October 21st during our related arts classes. Important Dates To Remember:

· Tuesday, October 18th – 1st STI Open House at 6:30 p.m. Location is North Point. · Wednesday, October 19th – Unity Day. Wear Orange to show your support · Friday, October 21st – Presentations by The BIG SCREEN SHOW during related arts · Wednesday, November 2nd- 1st Marking Period Ends · Wednesday, November 9th – High School Night @ 6:00 p.m. Location is John Hanson. · Thursday, November 10th- Report Cards Mailed Home

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Archery Club and Archery Team Practice Schedule

Mrs. Pennington

The Archery Club will begin on October 3, 2016 for 6th grade students and practices will begin on October

5, 2016 for 7th and 8th grade students. The shoot off will take place on October 31, 2016 for 6th grade and

October 26 for 7th and 8th grade. Practice dates for 6th grade are: October 17th and 24th. Practice dates for

7th and 8th grades are October 12th and 19th.

After the club shoot off, the winners of all grades will practice November 7, 9, 14, 16, 21, 28 and 30. All

students must attend practices to be allowed to attend the County Archery Tournament scheduled for Thurs-

day, December 1, 2016 at Somers Middle School in LaPlata.

All practices will be held from 3:05 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. All students must be picked up promptly at the con-

clusion of practice.

CCPS Fall 2016 Chess Tournament

Saturday, October 29, 2016 at Thomas Stone High School

9:00-1:00

You are invited to join other Charles County Public Schools students in a Four Round Swiss Style Tour-

nament. In order to compete, you must register online : https://ccpsregistration.wufoo.com/forms/

ccps-2016-fall-chess-tournament/

Registration will be closed after Tuesday, October 25, 2016. ONLINE REGISTRATION ONLY

All registered participants must check in at the registration table between 8:00 and 8:30. The first

game will begin at 9:00.

Students must be checked in by 8:30 in order to be paired to play in the first round. If you arrive after

8:30, you will be paired for the second round.

Awards Ceremony follows the 12:00 match.

If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Neiles at 301-645-4520 or kneiles@ccboe.com

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Builders Club is an international student-led organization providing members with the opportunities to perform service, build character and develop leadership. The JHMS Builders Club held our first meet-ing on September 21. The members made orange ribbons for the counseling department to distribute in October for Anti-Bullying Month. In October, we will learn about Unicef and prepare to Trick or Treat to raise money for Unicef. Meetings will be held the third Wednesday of each month in LA-1 from 3:05 p.m. – 4:15 p.m. If you are interested in community service, see Mrs. Harding or Mrs. Baker for more details.

Destination ImagiNation®

Destination ImagiNation® is the world’s largest creativity and problem solving competition for kids.

Students will work with 5 – 7 other students on one of the Destination ImagiNation® challenges that

involve creativity, problem solving and teamwork. The DI challenges allow students to develop hands

-on-experiences using technology, engineering, mechanics, theatre, improvisation while developing

skills such as goal setting, time management and leadership.

DI relies on parent volunteers to be team managers, tournament volunteers and appraisers.

We can only have teams if parents volunteer to be managers.

If you are interested in filling any of the above mentioned positions please contact Jeana

Stanley (jstanley@ccboe.com) or Charlotte Kelton (ckelton@ccboe.com) or call 301-753-1783 ext.

133718.

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New Sign-In Procedures For

Parents and Visitors

Effective immediately, John Hanson is implementing the “ScholarChip Visitor Manager” sign-

in system. This tool is being used by the Charles County Public Schools to register visitors, while

maintaining a history of anyone who has checked-in and checked-out of the building. ALL visi-

tors are REQUIRED to use this system. You must have a valid state issued driver license or ID in

order to check in. The system will be taking your picture; scan your driver’s license for secure

identification; and print a visitor pass with your name, photograph, date/time, and destination

within the building. The front office staff is available to assist anyone who may need help with

this process. Please remember to bring your driver’s license the next time you come in to visit

or pickup your child.

The library is getting off to a good start. Every student has had an opportunity to come to the library and

check out books. We’ve checked out over 1100 books so far and

If you have a book checked out, please check the date in the back of your book. Make sure you return your

book on time.

The Charles County Public Library is offering a special library card to every student. Language Arts teach-

ers had their students fill out the application and bring home a detailed letter explaining the pro-

gram. Several classes have already received their cards. This is a limited card, but students are able to ac-

cess the databases, including Rosetta Stone, a free language program. If you have more questions, you can

contact the public library.

The Library is doing “Maker Monday” activities during lunch. So far, we’ve made key chains, colored a

huge poster of New York City, and we’ve made and flown paper airplanes. Be sure to look out for the sign-

up sheet in the library.

The Book Fair will be here before you know it. We are planning on Family night, Oct. 20 from 5-6:30 for

families to shop before the fair actually begins on Oct. 24. Then, at 6:30, we are showing the movie

“Goosebumps” for students and their families in the gym. Students must attend with a parent.

Update from the

Media Center

Mrs. Hodson

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Every Day Matters! Ms. Ebbitt, PPW

Did you know:

Students should miss no more than 9 days of school each year to stay on track to graduation.

Absences can be a sign that a student is losing interest in school, struggling with school work, dealing

with mistreatment or facing other serious problems.

By 6th grade, absenteeism is a sign that a student may drop out of high school.

By 9th grade, regular attendance is a better predictor of graduation rates than 8th-grade test scores.

Students can be chronically absent even if they only miss a day or two every few weeks.

Attendance is an important life skill that will help your child graduate from college and keep a job.

What you can do:

Make school attendance a priority.

Talk about the importance of showing up to school every day.

Help your child maintain daily routines, such as finishing homework and getting a good night’s sleep.

Try not to schedule dental and medical appointments during the school day.

Don’t let your child stay home unless truly sick. Complaints of headaches or stomachaches may be

signs of anxiety.

Help your child stay engaged.

Find out if your child feels engaged by his classes and feels safe from mistreatment.

Make sure he/she is not missing class because of behavioral issues and school discipline policies. If any

of these are problems, work with your school.

Stay on top of academic progress and seek help from teachers or tutors if necessary.

Make sure teachers know how to contact you.

Stay on top of your child’s social contacts. Peer pressure can lead to skipping school, while students

without many friends can feel isolated.

Communicate with the school.

Know the school’s attendance policy.

Talk to teachers if you notice sudden changes in behavior. These could be tied to something going on at

school.

Check on your child's attendance to be sure absences are not piling up.

Ask for help from school officials, afterschool programs, other parents or community agencies if

you’re having trouble getting your child to school.

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John Hanson 2017 Yearbook

Time is running out to order your student’s copy of the John Hanson Middle School

official yearbook. It’s the limited edition collection of our school’s stories for the year.

Don’t let your student miss out on sharing and reliving the big events that will make

this year special.

Our book is on sale for the lowest price of the year.

Order now and save $5.00

(regular price $40, on sale now for $35 until December 31).

Place your orders online at jostensyearbooks.com. If you have any questions or need

assistance, contact Mrs. Parochetti at John Hanson or email her at

jparochetti@ccboe.com.

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Help Us Raise $$$ with our Donation Drive Fundraiser!!!

We collect your gently-used clothing, accessories, and household items for money with The Savers Program! You

will be able to get the write off for taxes and we will be able to get money to help fund the John Hanson PTSO. It’s a

simple quick way to clean your house out before the holidays by donating your goods to raise money for the school!

We ask you to please bag everything up AND mark it with your child’s 1st period teacher’s name. All donations can

be dropped off on the right side of the building on the loading dock at any time. We will check the loading dock three

times a day to bring donations in for storage until the fundraiser is complete.

Why do you mark the bags with your child’s 1st period teacher’s name??? The class with the most bags will win a

PIZZA PARTY! 2nd & 3rd Place classrooms will win ice cream at lunch!!

We will be collecting donations from October 3 to October 20th!!

CLOTHING & SHOES

Men’s, women’s, children’s

OTHER TEXTILES

Bed/Bath towels, sheets, blankets,

pillows, curtains, tablecloths

ACCESSORIES

Hats, mittens, scarves, ties, socks,

purses, wallets, backpacks, bags

ELECTRICAL

Small toasters, blenders, coffee

Makers, mixers, juicers, waffle irons,

Griddles, hairdryers, curling irons

KIDS

Toys, games, puzzles, stuffed animals

KITCHEN

Pots, pans, utensils, china cups, mugs,

Vases, dishes, cutlery, glassware, silverware,

stemware

KNICK-KNACKS

Jewelry, crafts, candles, baskets,

Ornaments, hand tools

MEDIA

Hardback & paperback books,

Magazine, records, tapes, CDs,

Videos, DVDs, computer software

SPORTS EQUIPMENT

Balls, bats, tennis rackets, Frisbees,

Baseball gloves

Questions…contact PTSO on

johnhansonptso@hotmail.com

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Imagine what one child can do……….

1 Box Top per month x 10 months = $1.00

5 Box Top per month x 10 months = $5.00

10 Box Top per month x 10 months = $10.00

Imagine what one school can do……….

$1.00 x 810 students = $810.00

$5.00 x 810 students = $4,050.00

$10.00 x 810 students = $8,100.00

Visit www.btfe.com for Bonus Box Top offers, contests

and online eBox Tops through their web site.

Please support John Hanson Middle School!!!

Thanks you for your support!!!

Joan Parochetti, Box Top Coordinator

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Help Us Raise $$$ with our Donation Drive Fundraiser!!!

We collect your gently-used clothing, accessories, and household items for money

with The Savers Program! You will be able to get the write off for taxes and we will be

able to get money to help fund the John Hanson PTSO. It’s a simple quick way to

clean your house out before the holidays by donating your goods to raise money for

the school!

We ask you to please bag everything up AND mark it with your child’s 1st period teach-

er’s name. All donations can be dropped off on the right side of the building on the

loading dock at any time. We will check the loading dock three times a day to bring

donations in for storage until the fundraiser is complete.

Why do you mark the bags with your child’s 1st period teacher’s name??? The class

with the most bags will win a PIZZA PARTY! 2nd & 3rd Place classrooms will win ice

cream at lunch!!

We will be collecting donations from October 3 to October 20th!!

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Picture Day Is Coming

To

John Hanson Middle School

Parents/Students: Information is forthcoming. You may place your order online. If you did not order

online, please enclose EXACT payment, and return to school on Picture Day. Enclose cash, mon-

ey order or check payable to Lifetouch.

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