Husky Families,
As we enter the last week before winter break, I want to thank you for your continued support and partnership in ensuring our students stay focused and committed to meeting all academic and behavior expectations. With only a few days left, please encourage your student(s) to finish strong and make the most of their learning opportunities this week. Together, we can make this final stretch before the break successful and enjoyable for everyone.
As a reminder, winter break begins on Monday, December 23, 2024. Students will return to school on Monday, January 6, 2025. We hope this time brings your family relaxation, joy, and quality moments together.
We have several important updates and reminders to keep everyone on track, so please take a moment to review the information below.
HMS Holiday Spirit Week: Staff and Students are invited to participate in our Spirit Week this week. Each day features a unique theme to celebrate the season. As a reminder, the ABSS dress code will continue to be enforced during Spirit Week. Please see this flyer for details.
Monday: Candy Cane Day (wear red & white)
Tuesday: Tinsel Tuesday (wear something shiny)
Wednesday: Holiday Socks
Thursday: Pajama Day
Friday: Christmas Accessory Day
Winter Band/Chorus Concert: Please join us for an evening of music and talent! Our 7th & 8th Grade Band and Chorus students will be performing their Winter Concert on Tuesday, December 17, at 7:00 PM in the HMS gym. Come and enjoy the hard work and dedication of our students as they share the sounds of the season. It’s a wonderful opportunity to celebrate their achievements and get into the holiday spirit. We look forward to seeing you there!
Athletic Director Appreciation Day: Today, we recognize and celebrate the dedication and hard work of our amazing Athletic Director, Lavar Marsh! Coach Marsh plays a vital role in ensuring the success of our athletic programs at Hawfields. His commitment to fostering teamwork, sportsmanship, and school spirit has a lasting impact on our student-athletes, coaches, and the entire school community. Thank you, Coach Marsh, for your leadership, passion, and countless hours of hard work behind the scenes to make our athletic programs shine. We are grateful for all you do to support our students both on and off the field. Please join us in showing your appreciation for Coach Marsh this week!
AP Capstone Diploma Program at Southeast: Beginning in the 2025-2026 school year, Southeast Alamance High School will begin offering the AP Capstone Diploma Program. This is an exciting opportunity for students to take challenging classes that will prepare them for the rigors of college courses. Currently, Western Alamance High School is the only ABSS High School to offer the AP Capstone Diploma program. Please visit Southeast’s website for more information about the AP Capstone Diploma program and what it offers for your child. As our current 8th grade students begin registering for classes for the 25-26 school year, we will share more about the AP Capstone Diploma Program. If you have any questions about this program please contact SEHS Principal, Eric Yarbrough at charles_yarbrough@abss.k12.nc.us.
2025 Student Writing Contest: For almost 70 years, the Burlington Writers Club has sponsored an annual student writing contest. They are a dedicated group of local writers, many of whom found that initial spark at a young age.
At-a-glance contest Guidelines:
Deadline for grades 3-8: January 31, 2025
Mail entries anytime between now and the deadline
Mailing Address: 213 S. Main St., Graham, NC 27253
Grades 3-12
Categories: Fiction and Poetry
We would love for our talented HMS students to participate in this year’s contest. For full submission guidelines visit https://burlingtonwritersclub.org/contests/student-contest/
Subs with the Superintendent: Our new superintendent, Dr. Aaron Fleming, is excited to host a series of community engagement events across the district called: "Subs with the Super." These casual meet-and-greet sessions are designed to strengthen our connection with ABSS families and gather valuable feedback about our schools.
About the Events:
Format: Casual drop-in sessions with complimentary refreshments
Purpose: Building relationships with families and gathering community input
Spanish translation services will be provided at all sessions
Families can attend any session, regardless of their school zone
Evening Sessions (5:30-6:30 PM)
December 17 - Southern High School
December 19 - Eastern Alamance High School
Lunch Sessions (11:30 AM-12:30 PM)
December 18 - Western Alamance High School
2024-2025 HMS Yearbook: Yearbooks are now on sale! Don’t miss the opportunity to capture and cherish this year’s memories. Ordering is easy, and you can do it online using the steps below:
Visit this link and click Order Pictures and Yearbooks. Enter the code: YB30002.
Enter your name and email, then click Access Yearbook.
Fill in your student’s information, then click Submit Details.
Select your product and quantity. Click View Cart to proceed to checkout.
Important Reminders:
The ONLY way to purchase a yearbook is online.
Once you order, Strawbridge will email you a receipt. Please hold on to this receipt as it will be very helpful if there are any questions or concerns at the time of yearbook delivery.
Order soon to reserve your copy and ensure your student’s memories are captured forever!
Attendance: Hawfields Middle School is committed to engaging students in challenging learning opportunities that are matched to individual needs. In order to allow our teachers and staff to support students in this way, it is imperative that every student attend school regularly. Our overall average attendance rate last week was 93.1%, with the 8th grade class having the highest attendance at 94.1%! Thank you for helping us reach our weekly attendance goal of 95% or higher!
Free & Reduced Lunch Application: Breakfast and lunch are not universally free for all students. If you would like your child to eat meals at school, you will either need to put money on their online account or you will need to secure a free/reduced lunch status by filling out the required form. The form is available in the HMS main office or you can fill it out online: https://www.lunchapplication.com/ More information is available here. This year, we are asking that all families complete and return the form, regardless of whether your student will eat a meal at school.
Athletics:
Free Sports Physicals: Emerge Ortho in Mebane is offering free sports physicals for all ABSS students from now until December 31, 2024.
Upcoming Calendar Events:
Monday, December 16 - Friday, December 20 - Holiday Spirit Week
Tuesday, December 17 - 7th and 8th grade Band & Chorus Concert (gym) - 7:00 pm
Wednesday, December 18 - Girls & Boys Basketball at Southern - 4:30 pm/6:00 pm
Wednesday, December 18 - HMS Wrestling match at HOME - 4:30 pm
Thursday, December 19 - HMS Wrestling match at HOME - 4:30 pm
Monday, December 23 - Friday, January 3 - Winter Break