Middle School Highlights - August 9, 2021

2021 Important Calendar Dates
August 18 @ 12:15 PM - Sixth Grade Orientation in Theater
August 18 @ 1:15 PM - Seventh Grade Orientation in Theater 
August 18 @ 2:15 PM - Eighth Grade Orientation in Theater 
August 19 - First day of Classes - Regular Middle School Hook up begins at 3:20 PM
August 24-27 - Grade 7 to Camp High Rocks
August 24-26 - Grade 8 to Camp NaCoMe
August 26-27 - Grade 6 to Camp Widjiwagan
August 31 - Grade 8 Individual Pictures
August 31 @ 6:00 PM - Grade 8 High School Parent Meeting 
September 6 - NO CLASSES Labor Day
September 9 @ 6:00 PM - Middle School Open House 
September 10 - Grade 6 and 7 Individual Pictures
 
Welcome to the first edition of the 2021-2022 weekly middle school newsletter. Each Friday, “Middle School Highlights” will be sent as part of Harding’s Weekly Review communication. Within the middle school newsletter, you will find important calendar information, as well as specific news about each grade. Please stay connected to the middle school throughout the year via CompassNet and our weekly “Middle School Highlights” newsletter.
 
We are so excited to welcome our students AND families back to campus in a few weeks. As we approach the first day of school, I want to share more about the start of school in the middle school, as well as some items for your attention ahead of orientation next Wednesday. Please read carefully as much has changed since last year, as well as from previous years. 
  1. Students, faculty and visitors must wear masks when they are inside, unless eating or drinking.  Masks will be required inside throughout the day, unless otherwise directed by a faculty or staff member. Please plan for your child to have at least two masks at all times. We will have extras if one should break, or if they do not meet “mask code”. When students are outside masks will be optional.
  2. There will no longer be plastic shields nor 6 foot social distancing in the classroom. Wherever possible we will seek to maintain 3 feet of social distancing per the CDC's recommendation. Seating charts will still be maintained, but the classroom experience will be less restrictive and more similar to pre-pandemic conditions.
  1. Additional class lists and schedules are now available to view on CompassNet. As Mr. Skeen shared in his Head of School communication “please know that a ton of time and care is invested in the development of these advisories and class groups to position each and every student for the best possible experience. We are not in a position to change anything as it relates to these lists. Thank you for your understanding.”
  2. Students will be utilizing lockers again this year. Each student will be assigned a locker where they may store their belongings. They will also be permitted to carry their backpacks throughout the day if they choose.
  3. There will be hand sanitizer and wipes in each room
  1. Students should have a water bottle, as drinking fountains are not available. There will only be bottle filling stations. 
  2. Students will change for PE, although they may wear a Harding t-shirt to school on any day.
  3. After school study hall will begin on Monday August 30 and run daily Monday through Friday, from 3:30 PM - 6:00 PM. Upon arrival to pick up, you should call the study hall number (615) 519-4123. Your child will be dismissed to the front of the middle school.
With consideration of all the above changes, below I will try and walk through a day in the life, so you can have a sense of how all of this impacts a student's day.
 
7:45am - approx. - arrive hook up, await faculty to dismiss you from car

7:45am - drop PE/Athletic bag in depot, head to your locker to unpack and then directly to your advisory location. Once arriving in an advisory location, students will be permitted to gather in a few specific spaces - visit with friends in other advisories, in the turf tent, or in the gym. 
8:00am - ADVISORY - morning announcements

10:20 - 10:35am - BREAK - A variety of snacks will be sold from the school store for $1 each. Students may also bring their own snack each day. Break/Snack period is a time when students can move throughout the middle school and courtyard to get fresh air, connect with friends, and grab a quick snack. 

12:45pm - 1:25  LUNCH in cafeteria, outside, or in advisory. We will be moving back to the cafeteria for lunch, however seating is restricted, permitting only one grade level to eat in the cafeteria at any one time. Therefore we will rotate grades that are eating in the cafeteria, eating outside, and eating in advisories. Students may bring their lunch, or they may get their tray and food from the lunch line then head to their lunch location. Students may also be able to get outside to play after lunch before their next class.

3:20pm - DISMISSAL - the last academic class will end at 3:20 PM. At 3:20 PM students will be dismissed to after school activities or to the depot for hook up. We suggest middle school parents do not enter the hook up before 3:20pm or you may be asked to drive around. There should be little to no wait this time as most of the Lower School hook up will be finished and the middle school will not have many students for the 3:20 PM hook up. Please have your hook up numbers clearly displayed to facilitate dismissal. At the end of hook up at approximately 3:30 PM students will be in the study hall.
 
Below are additional items unrelated to COVID-19, but regarding the regular commerce of school.
  1.  Middle School orientation will be by grade level. Orientation is encouraged for students and parents. Each session will begin in the theater. Masks must be worn. Sixth Grade 12:15 PM - 1:00 PM; Seventh Grade 1:15 PM - 2:00 PM; Eighth Grade 2:15 PM - 3:00 PM

  1. All forms have been due this summer through Magnus Health. Please be sure that you are up to date with your forms prior to the first day of school. Information regarding all forms is located on the Magnus Health page on the Resource Board of CompassNet.

  1. We are currently evaluating our fall overnight retreats. We will engage in co-curricular activities of some kind during the second week of school. However, in light of recent limitations we are trying to pivot quickly from our overnight programming. Class retreat meetings, where we will share more details of these programs, will happen at Orientation. If for any reason you do not want your child to participate in these off-campus activities, please contact the middle school office at msoffice@hardingacademy.us as soon as possible. Please note that if your child does not participate, there is no program at school for them. The child must stay home for the period of the trip.  Tentatively the retreat programming is scheduled as follows:
    1. Sixth Grade 8/26-8/27
    2. Seventh Grade 8/24 - 8/27
    3. Eighth Grade 8/24 - 8/26

  1. Links to the Summer Math and Reading requirements are also included below. Please be sure to put the finishing touches on all reading and math assignments before school begins. See the link below to access the Summer Portal directly.  LINK TO THE SUMMER PORTAL NOW
  1. As students and families continue to shop for school clothes, please stay connected to the dress code - link here. Please note changes to the dress code from previous years. All students must wear a collared shirt, or they may wear a Harding Academy T-shirt. 
  1. Grade 8 individual pictures for the yearbook will be taken on Tuesday, August 31. A specific schedule will be sent out prior to August 27. Dress for 8th Grade pictures is slacks, jacket and tie, or dress. Pictures for sixth and seventh grade students will be on Friday, September 10. Dress for grades 6 and 7 is regular school dress.
  1. Wednesday, August 26 will be our first Late Start Wednesday (LSW). Click here for details about logistics and programming for LSW.
We look forward to “seeing” you on Wednesday, August 18.
 
All the best,
 
Jay Codispoti
Director of Middle School
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Inspiring The Mind  •  Nurturing The Spirit
170 Windsor Drive  |  Nashville TN 37205
Phone: 615 356 5510  |  Fax: 615 356 0441