Good evening, Hugh Mercer Students and Families,
Reminders from last week:
September is Attendance Awareness Month, and we truly appreciate your efforts in ensuring your children attend school regularly when they are healthy. Consistent attendance is vital for building strong relationships and maintaining academic progress. Students are considered chronically absent when they miss 18 or more days in a 180-day school year, which is roughly 2-3 days per month. Let’s work together to help our students succeed by ensuring they’re present and engaged.
Instruction and Assessment
Benchmark testing begins this week. Please talk with your child about showing us their best efforts as we use these tests to measure how well students are progressing towards mastery of their SOL standards and grade level skills. Teachers base their instruction on the information they learn from these tests, and they tailor their lessons to the students' needs. Below is the schedule:
October 1: 4th Grade Reading
October 2: 2nd and 3rd Grade Reading
October 4: 5th Grade Reading
October 8: 4th and 5th Grade Science
October 9: 3rd Grade Math
October 10: 1st, 2nd, 4th, and 5th Grade Math
October 11: 4th Grade Virginia Studies
Safety and Behaviors
Families, please encourage conversations about conflict resolution with your child(ren). HMES does not allow students to settle conflict by using hurtful words or physical touch. Integrity and empathy are essential skills for your child to have when dealing with conflict or social situations that may cause anxiety.
Our students are here to learn and prepare for their future, not to disrupt the classroom environment. I encourage you to review our Patriot Pride expectations with them, emphasizing what respectful behavior looks like in the classroom, cafeteria, hallways, and on the bus.
Upcoming Events:
September 15 - October 15: Hispanic Heritage Month
September 30 - October 11: Benchmark Testing window
October 1 @ 5:30pm: PTA meeting in the HMES Library
October 3: No School (Student Holiday)
As always, we are looking forward to another productive and positive week ahead. Please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns. Your partnership is essential, and working together ensures the success of every Hugh Mercer student.
I hope you enjoy your evening and look forward to a wonderful week ahead.
Patriot PRIDE, always,
Mr. Snyder