The following letter is from William S. Hackett Middle School Principal Michael Paolino. It was mailed to families in early August and provides important information about the first days of school, transition camp for incoming sixth-graders and family orientation for all grades.
August 1, 2023
Dear Hackett Middle School Families:
It is hard to believe that it is August and the beginning of a new school year is right around the corner. I hope your summer vacation has been enjoyable, and like myself you are eager for the start of school in September. Below you will find some important information about the start of the upcoming school year.
August Parent Orientation – Aug. 24
The Hackett Middle School Summer Orientation for all grades will be Thursday, Aug. 24 from 6-8:30 p.m. Orientation will begin with a general session in the auditorium to review our academic expectations. This is an excellent time for parents, guardians and family members to learn more about Hackett Middle School expectations and to ask questions. During orientation, parents, guardians and students will have time to become better acclimated with various school-related activities, including updating pertinent school information, signing up for the Extended-Day Program, meeting with representatives from CDTA, becoming a member of the Hackett Middle School PTA, and learning more about our various school-related committees and more. Families also will have ample time to tour the school, meet with teachers and begin preparing student lockers. Student schedules and locker assignments for the upcoming school year will also be provided at orientation.
Student Orientation Days Sept. 7-8
We will provide student schedules and locker assignments during these Student Orientation Days; students will receive their schedule from their first-period (homeroom) teacher. These orientation days also will provide our students with the opportunity to participate in small sessions to better familiarize themselves with school protocols related to PBIS, hallway transitions, lunch/study hall routines, and arrival and dismissal procedures.
In an effort to ensure a smooth transition back to school for all students, the district has dedicated Sept. 7-8 as Student Orientation Days. The goal of these two days is to welcome students back to school in smaller groups in order to provide ample time for them to get comfortable with their schedules and transition throughout the building.
- Thursday, Sept. 7 – All 6A, 7A and 8A students (students who have Mr. Brown as a guidance counselor), and all students assigned to either Ms. Resila, Ms. Stephens or Mrs. Moorcroft’s self-contained classrooms.
- Friday, Sept. 8 – All 6B, 7B and 8B students (students with Mrs. Watson as a guidance counselor) and all students assigned to either Mrs. Grignon, Mrs. Messere or Mrs. MacNaab’s self-contained classrooms.
- Monday, Sept. 11 – First day all students report to school.
School administrators, guidance counselors and teachers will be present outside of school on these two days to assist students in identifying their first-period class. To ensure a smooth start to the school day, students will enter/exit the building through one of these three designated locations:
- Main Entrance – Grade 8 only
- 1st Floor North Entrance – Grade 6 only
- Cafeteria Entrance – All Grade 7 students, and all students regardless of grade, receiving yellow bus transportation as well as any student choosing to eat breakfast in the cafeteria
Student Attendance and Schedules
Tuesday, Sept. 11 will be the first full day of school for all students. Breakfast will begin at 7:30 a.m. and the school day will begin at 8:03 a.m. For students not eating breakfast at school, entrance into school will begin at 7:40 a.m. The school day will conclude at 3:00 p.m.
Fall Modified Sports
Student-athletes in grades 7-12 who are interested in participating in a fall sport will need an up-to-date physical (Aug. 21, 2022 or later). Please schedule an appointment with your doctor or plan to participate in one of the following options:
You can get required physicals through your family’s healthcare provider or Whitney Young's school-based health center at Albany High.
Here are a few more important upcoming dates for student-athletes in grades 7-12:
- Sign-ups for modified sports (grades 7-8) began on Friday, July 29.
- Tryouts and preseason practices for Albany High student-athletes (including mod-9 soccer), begin Monday, August 22, with the exception of football. The start of practice for the Albany High football team will be Saturday, August 20.
- Tryouts and preseason practices for our modified student-athletes begin Friday, Aug. 29.
- The Athletics Department also will host a Meet the Coaches Night for fall sports on Aug. 29 beginning at 6 p.m. Please stay tuned for more information.
For more information about the fall 2023 sports season (including registration requirements), please visit the Athletics page on the district website.
Transportation
Students continue to be eligible for transportation to and from school based on the district’s standard criteria: all students living 1.5 miles or more from school, and all students whose Individualized Education Plan (IEP) requires specialized transportation. Students receiving specialized transportation will ride school buses operated by First Student. All other eligible middle and high school students in the district ride CDTA.
Students eligible to ride CDTA buses will have their student ID activated to use as their bus pass. CDTA also allows a two-week grace period at the start of each school year (through Friday, Sept. 16th this year) when all students are allowed to ride. CDTA will continue to provide tripper buses for our students in the morning and afternoon; eligible students also can ride any regular CDTA bus using their activated student IDs. Student ID badges will be provided to all students on the first day of school.
Student Supply Lists
Summer Transition Camp
The Summer Transition Camp is a three-day program open to all students entering grades 6-7 at Hackett Middle School. The camp is designed to help students get off to a smooth start to the school year. The Summer Transition Camp will be held Aug. 21-23 from 8:30-11:30 a.m. each day.
Students will have opportunities to learn strategies to enhance study skills and note-taking abilities as well as engage in various team-building activities designed to promote a safe and secure learning environment. We hope that all incoming sixth and seventh graders take advantage of this fun opportunity.
Students who have not yet submitted an application to participate in the Summer Transition Camp can still register by reporting to the cafe entrance of school on the first day, Monday, Aug. 21.
Back to School Barbecue
Similar to previous years, we would like to celebrate the start of the school year by hosting an outdoor barbecue on Friday, Sept. 22. Students will receive a hamburger or hot dog, bag of chips, fresh fruit, milk and an ice cream sundae courtesy of Stewart’s Shops. To ensure a successful barbecue, we encourage parents and guardians to volunteer to assist in preparing the lunches. If you are interested, please contact the Hackett Middle School PTA at hackettpta@gmail.com.
Important Dates and Events
Finally, I would like to share the following dates for various important school events. Please be sure to mark these dates on your calendars:
- No School (Labor Day) – Monday, Sept. 4
- No School (Professional Development Day) – Tuesday, Sept. 5 and Wednesday, Sept. 6
- First PTA Meeting – Wednesday, Sept. 13, 7 p.m.
- No School (Yom Kippur) – Monday, Sept. 25
- PTA Meeting – Wednesday, Oct. 4, 7 p.m.
- No School (Columbus Day) – Monday, Oct. 9
- Picture Day – Wednesday, Oct. 11 and Thursday, Oct. 12
- Halloween Teen Night – Friday, Nov. 3, 6-8:30 p.m.
Once again, I am excited and looking forward to the start of the school year. Please feel free to contact the school should you have any additional questions.
