From the desk of Hamilton Heights Superintendent Dr. Derek Arrowood

Update No. 137

This week is National School Bus Safety Week and presents a special opportunity to remind motorists to slow down and be aware of their surroundings when encountering school buses in the community. While school buses are one of the safest modes of transportation, injuries and fatalities often occur when a motorist fails to slow down and obey the bus’s stop sign. For more information, including tips to share with your children on school bus safety, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s website.

While we are on the topic of bus safety, I want to thank our elite team of school bus drivers who travel thousands of miles, often in adverse weather conditions and through unpredictable traffic, to transport our most precious cargo to and from school and school-sanctioned events. Their commitment to safety, hard work, and vigilance to the students entrusted to our care is valued, appreciated, and noticed.

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October is also Bullying Prevention Month. Throughout the month, we focus our attention and efforts to raising awareness about the detrimental effects of bullying and how we can foster a safe, inclusive, and respectful school environment for all students. The goal is to empower students, parents, and staff to recognize and combat bullying behaviors. By promoting empathy, kindness, and open dialogue, we can help create a culture where every student feels valued and protected, ensuring a brighter and more secure educational experience for everyone.

Use our confidential quick tip line to report bullying or safety concerns here.

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Hamilton Heights Middle School students are welcome to invite a veteran they know (family, friend, neighbor, etc.) to school for a special luncheon in the Media Center on Friday, Nov. 8. Students will be permitted to eat with their invited guest and should complete the information on this form by Friday, Oct. 25 so that we are able to properly plan for this event.

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On Monday, Nov. 11, Hamilton Heights Elementary School will host a special Veteran’s Day celebration. All veterans are welcome to attend the elementary school program beginning at 9:30 a.m.

As part of bringing our community and family veterans together to be honored for their service, we are looking for veterans (active member of the military or retired) who would like to come to the school and read a veteran’s book to students in kindergarten through second-grade classrooms before the program. If interested, please complete the form here. Note: Readers will need to have an active school background check on file. Background checks can be accomplished through the school website.

In addition, a commemorative video is being made for veterans with relatives attending or working at HHES. If you would like to be included, send an email with your name, branch of the military, years of service, and name of student or staff member to which you are related to HHESveteransdaypictures@gmail.com by Monday, Nov. 4. Thank you today and every day for your sacrifice and service to our country.

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For a ghoulish good time, Hamilton Heights High School FFA is hosting its second annual Trunk or Treat from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 30 at the high school parking lot. Information about this family-friendly event can be found here.

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As a reminder, Friday, Nov. 1 is the second of our scheduled e-Learning days this year. Students do not report to school but will have their lessons and assignments to complete for the day. We appreciate our students and families preparing to help maximize the value of this off-campus education day.

As we move into the second nine weeks, let’s continue to work together to ensure an inclusive, safe, supportive, and academically enriching environment where our students can thrive.

#WeAreHuskies