HASTINGS MIDDLE SCHOOL

1850 Hastings Lane

Upper Arlington, OH 43220
614-487-5100 ext. 4000

____________________________________________________________________________________

Dear Parent(s),

Welcome to the 2017-2018 school year at Hastings Middle School. This will be an exciting year as we endeavor to bring our
Hastings Mantra of being thoughtful, creative, connected, and caring students alive through various activities both in and out of
the classroom. Additionally, we will continue to implement the Ohio Learning Standards while working on district strategic
planning goal of personalizing learning for all students. While these will not be easy tasks, they will prepare your child for
future education opportunities in high school and beyond.

Our staff has been spending the summer months gearing up for the start of the school year on August 16, 2017, for 6th graders
only and new 7th and 8th graders to UA, and August 17 for returning students in 7th and 8th grade. Prior to the first day of school,
I invite you to talk with your child about the upcoming school year and make sure he/she is prepared by reviewing the
following information:

Talk with your child about the positive roles (educational, social, and communal) they will play at Hastings
Middle School. Starting the year off with a positive mindset will lead to a more enjoyable school experience
which will support learning throughout the year.
Read with your child whenever possible. Novels, magazines, newspapers and other types of media promote life-
long learning as well as provide an opportunity for meaningful family time.
Establish technology boundaries at home. With every student having access to a laptop at home, it is important to
set up healthy routines that stress being responsible and respectful whether in the real or digital world. If you are
looking for a place to start, please go to the www.commonsensemedia.org.

Please review the following information so you are ready for Schedule Pick Up Day on August 7:

Families received an automated e-mail in late May from Infosnap to submit updated forms for your child. These
forms were due by June 15. If you have not submitted these forms, please do so immediately. (The Media Center
will be open to parents during the supply sale to complete the on-line registration process for those who dont
have access to a computer.)
We encourage all families to use EZ pay to pay your child's 2017-2018 school fees. This system allows for
accurate record keeping and the ability to use debit or credit cards to pay without convenience fee. Class and
course fees will be available on EZ Pay on July 24th. All student class, course and instructional fees should
be paid before students receive their schedule or laptop. Please note that the Optional Technology Protection
Plan payment will be $70 for the 2017-2018 school year. It is important to know that the protection plan
must be purchased prior to the delivery of the laptop.

I will communicate more about our programs through our newsletters (Hastings Hotline), grade level parent coffees, and
through our website. I look forward to seeing every family at our supply sale on Monday, August 7. If you have any questions
or concerns regarding your childs education, please contact me at rgonda@uaschools.org or at 487-5100 ext. 4001. Enjoy the
remainder of your summer.

Go Bears,

Robb T. Gonda
Principal, Hastings Middle School
Twitter @robbgonda #TC3



 Middle School Early Dismissal
2017-2018 School Year

During the 2017-2018 school year, there will be additional early dismissals for middle school students only once a
month. This is in addition to the two district-wide early-release days scheduled for September 27 and February
28. Students will be released from school at 1:30pm on the Wednesdays listed below throughout the school year. On all
early release days, bus transportation will be provided as usual. Additionally, we are working with the Upper Arlington
Public Library and Upper Arlington Parks and Rec department on free and paid programming for middle school
students who need a supervised environment from 2:00-4:00. Look for more detailed information about attending or
signing up for these alternative programs prior to the start of the school year.

The early dismissal dates for the 2017-18 school year are as follows:

September 13
September 27
October 11
November 8
December 13
January 17
February 14
February 28
March 28
April 11
May 16

Welcome New Staff to Hastings Middle School

It is an exciting time to be a Hastings Golden Bear. Joining our family this year are an exceptional group of educators
who bring passion and a focus on helping all kids succeed. Please help me in welcoming the following new staff
members to HMS this School Year:

Brett Bachman- 8th Grade IS
Callie Calender-6th Grade IS
Tiffany Kula- 8th Grade U.S. History
Kelly Repicky- 7th Grade Math
Kerrie Schill- Librarian
Jill Schneider- 8th Grade Science

Order Your HOP Day T Shirt

Each year a HMS Outreach Program T Shirt is offered for sale($10.00) with profits going to support the various costs
associated with HOP Day. If you would like to purchase this years shirt, please go to the link below.

http://www.myfanstand.com/Showroom/HastingsHopDay/482081



9th Annual HOP Day
Sept. 1, 2017











1
2

Communication

In our efforts to help parents stay informed and involved in the life of their children at Hastings, we provide a number of
formal and informal opportunities for open and regular communication between school and home.



The Hastings Student Handbook can be found on our school website,
which includes school rules and operational information.
bi-monthly newsletter is entitled: Hastings Hotline. August 18 will be our first publication for the 2017-2018 school year.
Our
Our weekly publication is entitled: Friday Flier. August 18 will be our first publication for the 2017-2018 school year.
These publications include a host of school wide academic and extra-curricular community news items.
Our Parent Forums will also be announced through the Hastings Hotline and Friday Flier.

School website: http://www.uaschools.org
School Twitter: @HMSbears




Our Back to School Open House is scheduled for Thursday, September 7 at 7:00 p.m. All parents are encouraged
to join us, meet all of your childs teachers, and hear more about your childs program/learning goals for the coming
school year.

Report cards are distributed to students approximately one week after the end of Quarters I, II, and III. The final report
card after Quarter IV is mailed home. Interim Progress Reports (IPRs) are presented electronically to students with a C
or below in PowerSchool mid-way through each quarter.

Your childs grades may be accessed at any time through the Parent Portal to PowerGrade. Teachers post grades at
various times; using PowerGrade allows parents and students to see grades that have been posted and the students
grade to date in all classes. Students also received login information and a password so that they may monitor their
progress. If you forget or have lost your initial power school password, please contact the office at Hastings to receive it
again.

Successful and effective communication is a two-way process. The Hastings administration and faculty welcome and
need your input to keep us informed. If you have any questions about your childs progress in a particular class, please
contact his/her teacher. If you have questions about your childs progress in several classes, please contact your childs
school counselor. The counselor will schedule a team meeting with you and your childs teachers.

Hastings 2017-2018 Counselors are as follows:

Grade 6 - Mrs. Catherine Shapiro 487-5100 ext. 4008 cshapiro@uaschools.org
Grade 7 - Mrs. Shannon Riley 487-5100 ext. 4007 sriley@uaschools.org
Grade 8 - Mrs. Tina Farbizo 487-5100 ext. 4009 tfarbizo@uaschools.org

If you have any questions about your childs middle school progress, program, or the procedures of our middle school,
please contact Mr. Robb Gonda, Principal, at rgonda@uaschools.org or phone at 487-5100 extension 4001. You can also
contact Mr. Mike Robertson, Assistant Principal, at mrobertson@uaschools.org or phone at 487-5100 extension 4002.

Study Table

Study table is designed for students who need to catch up, make-up, or work on homework.

Monday through Thursday from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., beginning Monday, August 28.
Teacher available daily to assist students in all subject areas as well as with study skills.
Students are asked to stay the entire hour and obey all school rules.
Prior pick-up arrangements must be made. Office closes at 4:00 p.m. and there are no pay phones.
Children need to be picked up promptly at 4:30 p.m.

From our Assistant Principal
Mr. Mike Robertson
mrobertson@uaschools.org

Welcome to the 2017-2018 school year! I am thrilled to have the opportunity to work with the students, parents and
staff of Hastings Middle School. Please feel free to contact me if I can be of assistance. You can reach me by phone at
487-5100 extension 4002, e-mail: mrobertson@uaschools.org or by scheduling an appointment to meet with me here at
school.

Drop Off and Pick-Up of Students

In order to promote the safety and the welfare of our students (your children) please observe the following
guidelines and signage when you drop off or pick up a child at Hastings:

Designated Drop Off/Pick Up Area is the north end of the Hastings parking lot (nearest Reed Road Pool
gate). It is CRITICAL that parents drop their children off at this far end of the parking lot.
Please note: right turn only sign as you exit lotthis practice keeps traffic moving during this busy
time.
No Parking 8 a.m. 4 p.m. School Days. There is no parking on the north side of Hastings Lane and the
area is clearly marked No Stopping School Buses Only!
No parking in any areas on Hastings Lane and Seaford Drive designated by yellow curb paint. These
have been marked to help assure driver visibility of children, as well as other cars.
Please help the traffic monitors by insisting that your children cross at crosswalks and not in the middle
of the street. In particular, please be vigilant in observing the traffic signals at the corner of Reed Road
and Grace Lane (on the east side of our property) as we have many students using the crosswalks there.
Cars stopping in the intersection of Grace Lane and Reed Road create blind spots for other drivers that
endanger children in the crosswalks.






From our PTO President Ann Carmichael
anncarmichael2@gmail.com

The Hastings PTO welcomes you to another great school year! The PTO provides many opportunities and activities to
enhance the education of our children. Check out our website at hastingspto.org for more information on how to join
and support the PTO. Membership in the Hastings PTO is optional, but our goal is 100% participation. Remember you
can pre-order your school supplies on-line as well. If you have any questions, please contact PTO President Ann
Carmichael at hastingspto@gmail.com

To help with school and Spirit Supply sale, click here: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0545aba92faa8-hastings

At our PTO HMS Website (www.hastingspto.org) you can:

1. Become a member for the 2017-2018 school year and pay your dues.
2. Sign up for the PTO e-mails.
3. Fill out Volunteer forms on-line.
4. Look for links to pre-order school supplies.

Looking forward to a wonderful year!

Ann Carmichael , PTO President
anncarmichael2@gmail.com
Hastingspto@gmail.com





HMS Service Hours

Community service hours support the mission of the Upper Arlington School District by engaging students in
meaningful volunteer opportunities, which enrich the learning experience while teaching civic responsibility
and strengthening communities. Our vision is to develop uniquely accomplished students prepared
to SERVE, lead, and succeed. Community service helps students take skills they have learned in the
classroom outside their classroom walls. Being involved in their communities and serving others provides
students a sense of purpose and helps students make informed decisions about possible career exploration
pathways. Community service challenges students to engage in meaningful authentic learning experiences
which will further help prepare them to serve, lead, and succeed.

At Hastings we encourage all students to complete ten hours of community service each year. If your child
performs any community service hours this summer, they can go ahead and log them into the x2vol account
through their naviance.com account. Their x2vol accounts became active for 2017-2018 as of May
27th. The directions for logging onto this website are on the Hastings website under the Student Resources

tab. If they have any difficulties, just have them keep track of the time and see Mrs. Shapiro in the fall for
help. All new sixth graders should simply track any community service hours they perform. We will help
them log into their accounts once the school year started.









Service Learning

Service Learning Committee Requests-Donate don't throw away
We hope everyone has been enjoying the summer months. Members of the Hastings service learning committee have
been busy meeting this summer in order to prepare for wonderful projects this school year.
As you may be completing summer cleaning tasks and/or enjoying summer activities, the committee would like you to:
1. Save pull tabs from canned beverages- These will be donated to the Ronald McDonald House to help pay their
electric bills. They can be dropped off on schedule pick up day and anytime throughout the school year.
2. Save clean and dry plastic grocery bags when you go shopping. These will be used in one of our HOP day
projects. They can be dropped off on schedule pick up day.
3. Save Box Tops for Education. These will be collected on schedule pick up day and anytime throughout the school
year. This program will help support various service learning projects.
Thank you for helping us prepare our students to serve, lead and succeed!






















From our School Nurse Mrs. Gini Barber RN
vbarber@uaschools.org

Students needing to take medication while at school
Please read the following guidelines adopted by the UA Board of Education regarding medication taken at school:
ALL prescription medication administered by the school requires written authorization from both the parent
and the physician
Non-prescription medication, such as Motrin, requires written authorization from the parent/guardian
All medication must be provided in the original container, clearly labeled with the students name, name of
medication, and dosage
Medications are kept locked in the Health Office and will be dispensed by the nurse or the principals designee
Students may carry medications to self-administer, after the appropriate forms have been filled out

Students with Asthma
In accordance with the Ohio Revised Code 3313.716/3313.14, a completed form: Authorization for Student Possession
and Use of Asthma Inhaler, should be provided to the school principal and/or nurse prior to the new school year.
Students who need to possess and use an Epinephrine Autoinjector
In accordance with Ohio Revised Code 3313.718/3313.141, a completed form: Authorization for Student Possession
and Use of an Epinephrine Autoinjector, should be provided to the school principal and/or nurse prior to the new
school year.
Health Forms for New Students
Ohio School Health History - completed by parent/guardian and includes a complete Immunization Record
Physicians Report

Medication Authorization and health forms may be obtained from Mrs. Barber in health office, main office, or
downloaded from district website: www.uaschools.org.
RN or LPN Clinic Volunteers Needed
To help with health screenings please phone Gini Barber at 487-5100 extension 4003.

The Health Office is staffed by a school nurse on school days from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Any questions, please phone or
email Gini Barber @ 487-5100 extension 4003.





























From our Athletic Director Mr. Spencer Smith
ssmith@uaschools.org

FALL SPORTS 2017

Dear Hastings Middle School Families- The fall sports season is quickly approaching. Please be sure to read over the
below notes regarding Fall Sports at HMS:

Middle School Coaches and Tryouts
At the bottom of this message you will find the 8th grade head coaches contact list for the upcoming fall sports season,
along with the date and time of the first tryout or practice. These coaches will handle communication throughout the
summer should you have any sport specific questions.

NOTE: Please remember that all fall sports are susceptible to cuts other than football and cross country.

For a list of all current coaches at Hastings Middle School, including 7th grade coaches, please visit the Hastings Athletic
Website. Click teams for their name and email.

*Please note at the time of this message we are still looking for a few fall coaches. Please continue to check the website
for an up to date list of coaches.

8to18 Registration
Please note that your son or daughter must be signed up for the Fall 2017 sport the wish to participate in
via 8to18 before they can tryout or practice. If your son/daughter has signed up in the past they must re-register for
the sport again this season. If your son/daughter has never signed up on 8to18 you must create an account and follow
the prompts. Registration instructions can be found here

Physicals- Please be sure to bring your son/daughters physical to the teams first practice or tryout and hand into
coach. Students will not be permitted to participate in any activities without an up to date physical on file. Physical files
can found here. If you have questions regarding the current status of your child's physical please contact UA MS Athletic
Trainer McKenna Teague (mteague@uaschools.org).

Athletic Drive- Save the Date

The Athletic Drive, which is a major component of our athletic budget, will be Tuesday, September 26th. Please mark
this date now! We will need a number of parent and student-athlete volunteers to make this a success! More
information will be given near the start of the school year.

Please email Spencer Smith (ssmith@uaschools.org) if you have any questions.

Go Bears!
Spencer Smith
UA Middle Schools Athletic Director



Please see the following page for tryouts and practice times for Fall Sports.


From our Transportation Director Mrs. Susan Schweitzer
sschweitzer@uaschools.org

Bus service is provided for students who live in the Hastings attendance area and live beyond a 1.25-mile radius
of the school. Bus schedules are available on the district website: http://www.uaschools.org beginning in
August. Questions regarding school bus transportation contact Upper Arlington City Schools Transportation
Department at 487-6477.

Hastings August-September 2017 School Calendar

August Event (location if applicable) Time
7 7th/8th Grade School Supply Sale, Schedule Pick-up, School Pictures 9:00am 1:00pm
7 6th Grade School Supply Sale, Schedule Pick-up, School Pictures 3:00pm 7:00pm
9 Mentor Training 8:30am 2:00pm
16 First Day for 6th Graders for 2017/2018 School Year 8:10am
16 New 7th/8th Grade Students to Upper Arlington Orientation, Commons 8:00am 1:00pm
17 First Day for Returning 7th & 8th Graders for 2017/2018 School Year 8:10am
23 PTO Meeting 8:30am
25 Middle School Athletic Night, Middle School Tailgate at UAHS 6:00pm
31 Picture Make-Up Day 8:10am


September Event (location if applicable) Time
1 Hastings Outreach Day (HOP Day) All Day
4 No School Labor Day
6 6th Grade Camp: MANDATORY Parents and Student Meeting, Auditorium 7:00pm
7 Student/Principal Advisory Meeting, Media Center 7:30am
7 Back to School Night 7:00pm 9:00pm
13 PTO Meeting 8:30am
13 Early Dismissal 1:30pm
15 6th Grade Parent Breakfast with Principal 7:30am
15 New UA Students Lunch Noon
26 Athletic Booster Drive 5:00pm 7:00pm
27 Early Dismissal 1:30pm
29 Fall Pep Rally 2:50pm
 Hastings Middle School
*August 7, 2017*
7/8 Grade 9:00am to 1:00pm ~ 6th Grade 3:00pm to 7:00pm

Items to-do prior to August 7 .

1. Update registration information on InfoSnap (due date was June 15).

2. We encourage all families to use EZ pay to pay your child's 2017-2018 school fees.
This system allows for accurate record keeping and the ability to use debit or
credit cards to pay without a convenience fee. Class and course fees will be
available on EZ Pay on July 24th. All student class, course and instructional fees
should be paid before students receive their schedule or laptop. Please note that
the Optional Technology Protection Plan payment will be $70 for the 2017-2018
school year. It is important to know that the protection plan must be purchased
prior to the delivery of the laptop. No cash please.

2017-2018 School Fee Amounts

Instructional Fee: $30.00 6 Grade th

$25.00 7th Grade

$25.00 8th Grade

Optional Technology Protection Plan: $70.00 (can only be purchased prior to obtaining laptop)

Optional Social Fee: $20.00 All Grades- This fees covers the cost of two class socials and other full grade level
activities throughout the school year.

Athletic Fee: $50.00 (if applicable)

Course Fees: (there may be an additional class fee if your child is taking a high school level course)

Items to-do on August 7

Pick up Passport at entrance door this door will be marked with yellow and
black balloons. It is the door on Hastings Lane closest to the parking lot.
Pay /Verify fees and turn in any school forms in Band Room
Pick up schedule in Band Room.
See Nurse in Band Room with health questions or concerns.
Pick up pre-paid school supplies in Choir Room.
Watch 2017-2018 Technology Video in HMS Auditorium
Pick up laptop in Room 118 and turn in Technology Forms (Loan Agreement,
Protection Plan). Please note if your child kept their laptop over the summer
they will need to bring their laptop in for inspection and turn in technology
forms.
Shop for supplies, spirit wear, pay lunch accounts and parent volunteer sign ups
in the Commons.
School Pictures will be taken in the Media Center.
 Supply Sale Instructions

You have two options for purchasing your supplies this year:
1. Pre-order your students supplies on-line by midnight
Thursday, August 3
With this option you order on-line, and all of the supplies (except Kleenex, anti-
bacterial wipes and the TI-Nspire calculator) will be pre-packaged and ready for
you at the School Supply Sale. It is a fast & convenient option during a busy time
of year! Also, the pre-order package price is less than the cost of purchasing the
items individually. For your convenience, all pre-ordered packages include
the $25 PTO membership and student directory.
How to do this:
1) Go to hastingspto.org
2) Click on the School Supply Pre-Order tab.
3) Make your choices for the pre-order package (you can opt out of calculator,
science goggles, and ear buds)
4) Pay with PayPal online, or choose to pay cash or check at the School Supply
Sale. The direct link to the supply sale order is: http://hastingspto.org/school-
supply-pre-order
5) Come to the School Supply Sale, sign up on Schoology (if you didnt already at
home), pick up your students schedule, and go to the Pre-Order Room.
2. Purchase your students supplies yourself at the Supply Sale
How to do this:
1) Come to Hastings on August 7.
2) Pick up your students schedule
3) Go to the Cafeteria, pick up the supply list for your childs grade, and select the
items you wish to purchase.
4) Pay for your supplies, spirit wear, and your PTO membership* with PayPal,
check or cash with our cashiers.

Questions?? Contact Ann Carmichael at hastingspto@gmail.com if you have any

questions and/or are available to help with the sale on either Friday, August 5 (set up)
or Monday, August 7 or go to Sign up Genius:
http://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0545aba92faa8-hastings
 FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 1
What is HOP Day?

Hastings will conduct its 9th annual HOP (Hastings Outreach Program) Day on Friday, September 1. HOP
Day is an all-school event in which students and staff participate in a full day of service. Service and
learning have long been combined in the tradition of excellence within the Upper Arlington School system
and, together, they are a fundamental foundation of what we believe is important in building 21 Century st

Learners.

What does HOP Day look like?

We will begin HOP day with an all-grades assembly and speaker to kick off our day of service. Following
the assembly, the grade levels will split off to begin their day. The 6th graders will be involved in a variety
of activities in an effort to expose them to different areas of service. These may include a food drive for
Mid-Ohio Food Bank, Mats for a Homeless Project, making blankets for Project Linus, reading to local
pre-school students or other activities. The 7th graders will be focusing on the environment by heading
to Franklin Park Conservatory, Whetstone, Battelle-Darby, Indian Village, and Camp OtyOkwa. Our 8th
grade class will be learning about poverty by working with Senior Citizens at Assisted Living Facilities,
Worthington Food Pantry, Neighborhood Services or LifeCare Alliance, which also provides Meals on
Wheels service for Franklin County. Your child will receive specific details about his or her
responsibilities for HOP Day from his/her Enrichment teacher the first couple weeks of school.

How can I help with HOP Day?

Are you interested in helping out with HOP Day? We are in need of volunteers. We will need
parent volunteers to help with the preparation of the 6th grade activity on Monday,
August 28 as well as parent volunteers on Friday, September 1. We will also need 6th
grade students grandparents to help make blankets for Project Linus. Parents and
Grandparents may be able to be with their own child; however we cannot guarantee it. If you are
interested in volunteering, please click here to visit the HOP webpage. If you are unable to connect using
the above link, the HOP webpage is also linked to the Hastings and the Hastings PTO webpage.

We are also asking for donations that will be used for student lunches and supplies for the service
projects. If you are able to help, please fill out the form below and bring it with you to the supply sale on
August 7th or mail to Hastings (attn: Pam Meadows and/ or Brooke Dionisio).

How can I order a HOP Day t-shirt for my son/daughter?

This years HOP Day T-shirts can be purchased for $10 each
http://www.myfanstand.com/Showroom/HastingsHopDay/482081
to place your order or you can visit the HOP Day webpage (linked to the Hastings and Hastings PTO
webpage). The deadline is August 13th, 2017.

Who can I contact with questions?

Thank you for your help in making Hastings Middle School a leader in service-learning initiatives.
If you have any questions about HOP day, please contact Pam Meadows at pmeadows@uaschools.org
or Brooke Dionisio at bdionsio@uaschools.org.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
_______ Please accept my donation of $10.00 for the needed supplies.

Please make checks payable to Hastings Middle School

________________________________________________________________ _________
(Student name) (Grade level)