Friday Memo - 5/21/21

Important dates
May 22 - teacher packing day #3, 10:00 am - 1:00 pm (Vogt)
May 25 - Pops Concert, 6:00 pm
May 26 - Virtual 8th grade Promotion Ceremony, 7pm
May 27 - 8th grade celebration activities & 7th grade science Regatta races
May 28 - Last day of school (dismissal at 12:32 pm); EOY retiree farewell luncheon; Virtual student materials collection, 1:30 pm to 4:00 pm
August 2 - Teachers can access the building to start setting up their classrooms
August 9 - 6th grade orientation; orientation for 8th graders who were virtual in 7th grade
August 10 - rising 7th grade orientation
August 11-13, 16-18: Back to school work days for teachers
August 23 - First day of school!

Hixson Educator Award
Passing along the Hixson Educators Award was a daunting task. There are so many wonderful educators in this building. When it came down to it, there was really only one person that kept coming back to mind and that is Alka Woodard. We started our first year at Hixson together so we had that automatic common bond, my coffee companion. Alka always comes to work with a smile and a positive outlook about her day. She dreams big and passes that along to all of her students. She’s creative and thinks outside the box. 

On top of being a dedicated teacher, she’s also a dedicated wife, mother and student herself. Many times she has told me that after work she will be in class until 9:00 in the evening. I don’t know how she does it all.

This summer she has taken on the responsibilities of being Summer School Principal for our incoming 6th, 7th and 8th graders. I know she will do a fantastic job!

Alka, when you become the first female president, I’d love to be your Admin Assistant! Congratulations! You’re doing an amazing job.

Nominated by Sarah Magruder

Important documents

End of Year Check Out Packet

Last day of school schedule

2021-2022 Building Map

DRAFT 2021-2022 Master Schedule

May 28 - Retiree Farewell and End of year luncheon
This year's retirees prefer a low key farewell. Therefore, we will have a brief reception to honor them on the last day of school after dismissal in the cafeteria. During this brief reception, they will be presented with a gift and then we will mingle for a bit before saying our goodbyes. A grab and go catered lunch will be provided by Hixson administration. We will start at 12:40 pm and end by 1:10 pm. 

Please use the rest of the day to finish packing and checking out. 

Virtual student materials drop off
We will collect Chromebooks and other materials from virtual students on Friday, May 28 from 1:30 pm to 4:00 pm. Parents will be instructed to bring the materials to the cafeteria entrance at Hixson during that window of time. Please let me know if you have any questions. 

Fillable water stations
Two more fillable water stations will be installed on Wednesday, May 26 at 7:00 am by Linek Plumbing. They will be installed in the 7th grade hallway and the Math/SSD hallway. We weren't expecting them until July or August, so this is great news! Just so you're aware, the new construction areas will have fillable water stations installed in them as well. 

DOMAIN 1: HIXSON & COVID

Protocol for teaching remotely 
Click HERE to access the protocol for teaching remotely.

Protocol for substitute teachers who will cover virtual classes
Click HERE to access the protocol for substitute teachers who will cover virtual classes.

DOMAIN 2: HIXSON & STEGER

Team names
We have finally decided on team names! The theme for our team names focuses on character traits exemplified by the Statesmen and Stateswomen of the world. Earlier in the semester, the Rebranding & Campus Beautification work group from the Transition Task Force facilitated a survey that gathered your feedback on character traits that we could use for team names. Based on your feedback and further conversation, we decided on the names below.

6 Unity, 7 Unity, 8 Unity

6 Bravery, 7 Bravery, 8 Bravery

6 Integrity, 7 Integrity, 8 Integrity

The purpose of choosing three team names instead of nine different names is to help make the names easier to remember for all of our stakeholders. There are several other middle schools in the St. Louis area that follow this model as well. Please see some examples below.

• Parkway Northeast Middle School
• 6 Believe, 7 Believe, 8 Believe
• 6 Achieve, 7 Achieve, 8 Achieve
• 6 Inspire, 7 Inspire, 8 Inspire
• Rockwood Valley Middle School
• 6 Black, 7 Black, 8 Black
• 6 Red, 7 Red, 8 Red
• Hazelwood Central Middle School
• 6A, 7A, 8A
• 6B, 7B, 8B
• Sperring Middle School
• 6 Green, 7 Green, 8 Green
• 6 Gold, 7 Gold, 8 Gold
• Wydown Middle School
• 6 Central
• 6 East, 7 East, 8 East
• 6 West, 7 West, 8 West

In addition to these being important character traits of prominent Statesmen and Stateswomen, these words are also relevant to the transition that we are making together as a school community. We must be brave as we face a significant amount of change. We must build and maintain trusting relationships by showing integrity as we interact with one another and in our work with students. We must stand together as a united front, even in our disagreements, and especially in the face of adversity. It is my hope that these team names will serve as a constant reminder of what is required of us to build the type of school community where everyone who is a part of it wants to be. 

DOMAIN 4: HIXSON & CONSTRUCTION

The Big Move!

·       What is the “Big Move”? The Big Move will take place on July 15, 2021. This the day that a moving company will move teachers' belongings to their new classrooms. Due to summer construction and cleaning, teachers cannot be in the building prior to August 2.

·       Moving company – The moving company will provide plastic bins for teachers who are moving from Steger to Hixson and current Hixson teachers who are moving to new construction classrooms to use for packing sometime during the week of May 1, 2021. You will pack your belongings inside of those crates/boxes and put them outside of your current classroom by the end of the day on May 28, 2021 for current Steger teachers and  June 4, 2021 for current Hixson teachers. You will clearly label the crates/boxes with your name and new room number. On July 15, the movers will move those crates/boxes to your new classroom for you. The crates must be returned to the moving company sometime during the last week of August. Therefore, you will need to have the crates emptied and ready to return by August 27.

·       Labeling your belongings – You will receive a set of labels from the main office so that all labels are clear and easy to read.

·       Moving your own belongings – You are welcome to move your own belongings if you’d like. You will still need to abide by the aforementioned timeline and process.

Our furniture at the Service Center - Our furniture at the Service Center will remain there until we know more about social distancing for next year. If social distancing guidelines are relaxed, then we will bring our furniture back from the Service Center. If we can bring our furniture back from the Service Center, then that will add another layer onto our moving process.

No access to the building June 4 - August 2
The S. Elm parking lot is going to be completely demolished and reconstructed this summer. If you are a current Hixson teacher and plan to do any packing between June 1 and June 4 (the building will be closed on May 31 due to Memorial Day), you will need to park on the Moss Field parking lot and enter the building through the Shop entrance. The construction workers will take up the majority if not all of the parking near and around the cafeteria entrance because the S. Elm lot will be gone.