April 2017
HMS Principal's Newsletter
Congratulations is extended to Grade 8 student Emma Johnston who captured the State Champion Title for the New Hampshire American Legion Junior Constitution Oratorical Competition. Keeping with a rich HMS tradition of accomplishment, in the oratorical program over the last ten years, Emma eloquently delivered two speeches at the oratorical held on Saturday, April 8th, at St. Anselm's Institute of Politics. Emma has certainly found her voice and showed poise beyond her years with her speaking ability. She is not alone in her success since Naomi Ford- Ortiz also qualified for the State Competition and finished as a runner-up. Both students had the honor of presenting their speeches to American Legion member and Hampstead School Board Chair, Jason Cipriano who was serving on the judging panel at the St. Anselm’s Competition.
Overall, this was another great year for the Hampstead Middle School oratorical program with all 125 grade 8 students giving speeches in social studies classes. With special recognition going out to 22 students who presented their speeches to a faculty judging panel as well as special guest judge, School Board Member Cathleen Abruzzese, at our local competition. We here, at HMS, are very proud of all of students’ academic achievements in speaking and knowledge of our nation’s Constitution!
Congratulations to our very own Mrs. Anne Wallace for being a 2018 NH Teacher of the Year Nominee. This recognition denotes excellence in the teaching profession. Mrs. Wallace is an example of the best of the best in education in our state.
Quarter 3 Hawk Assembly
Each Quarter Hampstead Middle School recognizes students in each grade for demonstrating excellence in our school's 3 R's creed, Respect, Responsibility and Relationships.
Congratulations to our winners who were recognized April 14, 2017 at an all school assembly where students received a certificate, gift card, and participated in a fun student/staff activity organized by the NJHS students.
Congratulations HMS Winners!
Congratulations to our very own Hampstead Middle School teachers who were
featured presenters at the annual 36th New England Middle Level Conference held on March
30th and 31st in Providence, R.I.
The conference brought together teachers, administrators, higher education students and professors, as well as others committed to educational growth and improvement. Mrs. Griffin and Mrs. Connors presented The Makerspace Journey for All Learners which provided participants information and strategies on how to engage all students in real world 21st Century skills. They also shared on how to create Makerspace programs that promote creativity, risk taking, problem solving, collaboration and perseverance. Mrs. Downey and Mrs. Mailloux presented a session on how to organize and host a community STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) family night, an event designed to identify and integrate resources and services from the community to strengthen the school programs of science, math, engineering, and art while involving parents and family.
DAVID REMILLARD WINS 2017 STEM EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING AWARD
HMS teacher Mr. David Remillard is the recipient of the 2017 STEM Excellence in Teaching Award. The Joint Committee of Engineering Societies of the NH Society of Professional Engineers selected Mr. Remillard from a pool of highly regarded candidates throughout New Hampshire based on his outstanding dedication to the education of tomorrow’s engineers and inventors. Principal Di Nola nominated Mr. Remillard for this award because of his exceptional advancements in the teaching of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) to HMS students and professional staff.
Library Happenings
American Legion Junior Oratorical
Congratulations is extended to Grade 8 student Emma Johnston who captured the State Champion Title for the New Hampshire American Legion Junior Constitution Oratorical Competition. Keeping with a rich HMS tradition of accomplishment, in the oratorical program over the last ten years, Emma eloquently delivered two speeches at the oratorical held on Saturday, April 8th, at St. Anselm's Institute of Politics. Emma has certainly found her voice and showed poise beyond her years with her speaking ability. She is not alone in her success since Naomi Ford- Ortiz also qualified for the State Competition and finished as a runner-up. Both students had the honor of presenting their speeches to American Legion member and Hampstead School Board Chair, Jason Cipriano who was serving on the judging panel at the St. Anselm’s Competition.
In March, Emma and Naomi took first and second place respectively at the district level competition held in Derry with competitors from Hampstead Academy and Derry’s Hood and West Running Brook middle schools.
Overall, this was another great year for the Hampstead Middle School oratorical program with all 125 grade 8 students giving speeches in social studies classes. With special recognition going out to 22 students who presented their speeches to a faculty judging panel as well as special guest judge, School Board Member Cathleen Abruzzese, at our local competition. We here, at HMS, are very proud of all of students’ academic achievements in speaking and knowledge of our nation’s Constitution!
Congratulations to our very own Mrs. Anne Wallace for being a 2018 NH Teacher of the Year Nominee. This recognition denotes excellence in the teaching profession. Mrs. Wallace is an example of the best of the best in education in our state.
Quarter 3 Hawk Assembly
Each Quarter Hampstead Middle School recognizes students in each grade for demonstrating excellence in our school's 3 R's creed, Respect, Responsibility and Relationships.
Congratulations to our winners who were recognized April 14, 2017 at an all school assembly where students received a certificate, gift card, and participated in a fun student/staff activity organized by the NJHS students.
Congratulations HMS Winners!
5th Grade-Taylor Schwalje, Gianna Rosa, Tommy Manning
6th Grade-Christpher Tagalakis, Jenna Gorton, Lillie Walker
7th Grade-Nikolas DeAngelo, Julia Hartin, Nick Burinskas
8th Grade-Macy Graves, Anthony Samiotes, Arica Hassler
The conference brought together teachers, administrators, higher education students and professors, as well as others committed to educational growth and improvement. Mrs. Griffin and Mrs. Connors presented The Makerspace Journey for All Learners which provided participants information and strategies on how to engage all students in real world 21st Century skills. They also shared on how to create Makerspace programs that promote creativity, risk taking, problem solving, collaboration and perseverance. Mrs. Downey and Mrs. Mailloux presented a session on how to organize and host a community STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) family night, an event designed to identify and integrate resources and services from the community to strengthen the school programs of science, math, engineering, and art while involving parents and family.
DAVID REMILLARD WINS 2017 STEM EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING AWARD
HMS teacher Mr. David Remillard is the recipient of the 2017 STEM Excellence in Teaching Award. The Joint Committee of Engineering Societies of the NH Society of Professional Engineers selected Mr. Remillard from a pool of highly regarded candidates throughout New Hampshire based on his outstanding dedication to the education of tomorrow’s engineers and inventors. Principal Di Nola nominated Mr. Remillard for this award because of his exceptional advancements in the teaching of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) to HMS students and professional staff.
Library Happenings
Grade 5 Writing Classes: Digital and Print Resources
Grade 5 Writing Classes: Digital and Print Resources
Effective Search Skills: Topic Exploration
How to Use WebPath Express: Features, Narrowing Results, etc.
Evaluating Digital and Print Resources
Determining Importance
Grade 6: Revolutionary War Research
Print and Digital Resources
Effective Use of Resources
Effective Search Skills
8th Grade Updates
The 8th grade is currently in the last round of our bad leads fiction contest (BLFC). This is in the spirit of Edward George Bulwer-Lytton's 1830 novel. Paul Clifford. which begins:
"It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents — except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which swept up the streets (for it is in London that our scene lies), rattling along the housetops, and fiercely agitating the scanty flame of the lamps that struggled against the darkness."
The contest is a whimsical literary competition that challenges entrants to compose the opening sentence to the worst of all possible novels.
The results are in!
The results are in!
Dishonorable Mention
3 o' clock behind the school he was early, "You're a dead man Jenkins," he said as he laid flowers on his bully's grave.
Jayson Choy
Runner Up
They stood under the romantic light of the McDonald's parking lot and the soothing sound of road rage and honks filled their ears, the man knelt down on one knee... to tie his shoe.
Lucas Lizotte
Grand Champion
It was a dark, dark super dark like pitch black dark so you couldn't see anything outside kind of dark and almost like a really dark grey but not quite black kind of dark and stormy night.
Adam Chalmers
The 8th grade science classes have been studying natural selection and adaptations, in particular the Galapagos finches. They were given an engineering challenge to create the "ideal" beak for a bird to pick up different size seeds. It was very interesting to see the prototypes built by the teams and the results of the "beak trials".
After break the students will be preparing for the 8th grade science NECAP which will take place the week of May 8th.
On Friday, April 7th, 8th grade student leaders attended Leadership Day at Pinkerton Academy. Students worked with members of Pinkerton Academy's Student Council to engage in training's and exercises in communication, empathy, and organization. Our students took these skills back to HMS to share them with the rest of the student body. All attendees showed great respect!
Between
April 3 and April 14, the Our World Club held a School Supply Drive within the
Middle School. The intention of the
drive was to distribute donations to needy students in other middle schools in
New Hampshire. The club set a lofty goal
of 200 items which included pencils, pens, gently used binders, and binder
filler paper. Students and staff alike
supported the drive in a big way, pushing the total items donated way over the
original goal.
Our World, a club based on tolerance and
empathy, thanks all who helped us with this first major project.
Spanish Celebrations
Sra. Nesto's sixth grade Spanish class held a traditional Quincenera celebration. The students studied this tradition from Mexico, both Central and South America, Cuba and the Caribbean. The celebration of a young girl's coming of age, her fifteenth birthday! The strong virtues of family and religion, and of course, great food, formal clothing and dancing!
On Tuesday April 18, the HMS Anti- Bullying Committee brightened the walkway into school by writing positive messages in chalk telling students to work their brains, do their best and to believe in themselves during Smarter Balance Testing. They were hoping to create a positive healthy mindset.
On Friday, March 31, ABC students presented their Crayon Skit to the 5th grade classes. The skit utilized a pack of crayons to show the similarities and differences in everyone. They wanted students to know that their differences and similarities make them ….THEM and that they should celebrate their uniqueness. After the presentation, ABC challenged each 5th grade class to draw a colorful complete picture representing the skit’s message. Each student took a different color and added it to the picture. The pictures were then hung in the 5th grade hall to remind students that they have the power to include, respect and accept everyone for who they are!
Left Peyton Knowlton, Ryan McMahon, Kristina Packowski, Elizabeth Crump
Colors of Hampstead- Crayon Skit
Left back Joseph Packowski, Matthew Sullivan, Anthony Samiotes, Ryan McMahon, Abigail Jowett, Madelyn Ward, Megan Howard
Middle : Keana Gullage, Jake Hutchings, Josua Jones, Mariesa Preble Elizabeth Crump, Owen Muskrat, Alisha Sprizza
Front: Kristina Packowski, Mia Ward
News from the Art Room
Looking for something to do on your April staycation? The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston has some exciting new exhibitions. Sixth graders have studied or are studying the work of Henri Matisse, a revolutionary 20th century painter who changed the way we think about color. “Matisse in the Studio” runs from April 9 to July 9. Visit the Hampstead Public Library for discounted tickets.
Grade 5 students glazing their mugs.
3rd Annual UNH Engineering Day
3rd Annual UNH Engineering Day
April 21, 2017 fifth grade students spent half a day with UNH Engineering students participating in a variety of STEAM activities including:
Guidance Updates
Thursday May 4th our 8th grade class will
visit Pinkerton Academy for the C-U-4 Reality Career Fair. This career fair is a culmination of a career unit taught by Mr. Mailloux with collaboration from Pinkerton Academy and St. Mary’s Bank. Mrs. Judi Window from St. Mary’s Bank was a guest presenter at HMS on 4/13. She helped explain the fair and what to expect once our students arrive.
The career unit involved:
- Explore career interests including salary range
- Identify the differences between banks and credit unions
- Recognize the parts of a budget
- Explain the differences between gross and net income
- Classify expenses into one of three categories
- Distinguish needs and wants
- Create a budget
- Demonstrate the responsibilities of being a young adult
A Huge Thank You to our dedicated Parent Volunteers Mrs.Chalmers and Mrs. Hassler for supplying and distributing healthy snacks to our students during SBAC State Testing the past two weeks! Thank you to all of the parents who sent in donations for our students to do their best!!!
SAVE the DATE!!! 4th Grade Transition Information Night.
HMS Grade 5 Parent Information Night to be held on Wednesday May 24th in the HMS cafeteria.
Parents join us to learn about student schedules, unified arts and extra curricular opportunities. Parents please join us for this 60 min. presentation at 6:30 pm.
*Thank you to all of the current fifth grade parents who completed the HMS Transition Survey! We continually aim to improve student experiences at HMS!
8th Grade Science NECAP Testing will be May 8th-12th.
NECAP is a comprehensive set of tests that cover a broad range of learning expectations in science administered at grades 4, 8, and 11. The science assessment targets were developed and adopted collaboratively by the departments of education in New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Full documentation of the learning expectations for each grade is posted on the websites of the individual state departments and agency of education.
Staff Appreciation Week: May 8th- 12th
PTSA will host our annual Staff Appreciation Week. The Theme this year is Hampstead's Teachers and Staff are Out of this World!
*We are in need of donations of food, gift cards and volunteers to help during this week. For the full list and to sign up to volunteer, please visit the PTSA website listed above. If you have any questions please contact:
staffappreciation @hampsteadptsa.org
Camp Invention is coming to Hampstead Public Schools!
Since 1990, Camp Invention has taken summer fun and transformed it from ordinary to extraordinary!
In partnership with the National Inventors Hall of Fame, Hampstead Middle School is pleased to offer the nationally-acclaimed Camp Invention program to children entering grades 1st-6th. It’s an exciting, weeklong summer adventure with lessons that explore connections between science, technology, engineering and innovation. Children will work together to seek solutions to real-world problems and sharpen critical 21st century learning skills while rotating through several fascinating modules. The week begins on July 17, 2017 with Heather Mailloux serving as Director of the Launch program!
Here is how young innovators will be spending their time:
- Engaging creative thinking to design and build their own duct tape creations
- Experiencing the power of rocket science by building and launching rubber band rockets
- Exploring aerodynamics to blast water rockets made from plastic bottles more than 50 feet in the air
- Taking apart nonworking machines and devices to investigate their inner operations
All activities give participants the opportunity to explore, discover and achieve while having fun!
Local educators will facilitate program modules and enthusiastic high school students will serve as Leadership Interns ensuring that one program team member is in place for every eight children.
Register on or before May 1, 2017 using promo code Discover15 to receive $15 OFF the base price of $250. Every registration includes a complimentary Camp Invention t-shirt. Availability is limited, so visit www.campinvention.org or call 800.968.4332 to secure your child’s spot today!
