September 16th - September 20th

HURRICANE DORIAN SUPPLY DRIVE

Hancock Day School National Junior Honor Society is pairing with Savannah XO Abacos for a Hurricane Dorian relief supply drive.  Supplies are divided by grade level. For more information please click HERE.

SCHOOL PICTURES

Below is the schedule for student pictures. Students should dress in school uniform for their class picture - no PE uniforms.  6th and 7th grade students are permitted to dress out of uniform for individuals. 8th grade students are permitted to dress out of uniform for both.  *** ATHLETES - There will not be team pictures during this time. However, there will be a pep rally on Thursday. Please bring your team uniform to wear after pictures. ***

8th Grade Students	Wednesday, September 18th - Class and Individual
7th Grade Students	Wednesday, September 18th - Individual Thursday, September 19th - Class (school uniform)
6th Grade Students	Wednesday, September 18th - Individual Thursday, September 19th - Class (school uniform)

SEPTEMBER PARENT.EDU
Area high schools are reaching out to connect with our graduating 8th grade students!  Please join us on Thursday, September 26th at 6:00pm in Hancock Hall to discuss the high school admissions process.  Joining our counselor, Allison Maher, will be Helese Sandler of Savannah Educational Consultants. Please save Wednesday, November 20th for our annual High School Fair.

8TH GRADE INDEPENDENCE!

This year our 8th grade students have independent time from 12:30 - 1:30 each day.  Students can choose to spend the time eating, studying, at recess or just relaxing. Each month the class is divided into 4 groups.  Each week on Thursday one group can choose to do an alternative activity. Mr. Crawford is discussing with the class what those activities might be.  Current ideas include going off campus for lunch or off campus for ice cream. Each week, the group going off campus will make the decision. They may also elect to do nothing special.  Off campus options will begin Thursday, September 5th. Click HERE for the parental release form to grant your student permission to participate.

GIRLS GOLF DAY IN SAVANNAH

Click HERE for information about this event.

BOX TOPS
If you have been collecting Box Tops, please turn them in to Mrs. Mannarino ASAP.  Starting November 1, there will be a new system for submitting them. Click HERE for more information.

JERSEY DAYS

School spirit is a major component of the Middle School.  When we were smaller and our sports schedules much smaller, we wore our team jerseys every time we had a game.  Now our teams often play two (even three!) games per week. To simplify our lives and still show our spirit, we are reserving THURSDAYS as TEAM JERSEY DAYS.  Each Thursday, those students who are on a CURRENT HDS team can wear their team jersey as a top. 

PLEASE SAVE THE DATE - SPRING PERFORMANCE
We would like to announce to the Hancock Community to save the date of April 24, 2020 to attend the HDS Spring performance of MULAN.  

Each middle school student is required to complete ten hours of community service over the course of the school year.  Please remember to list hours worked on a daily basis, do not log total sum of hours worked over an extended period of time.  See below for a few upcoming service opportunities. Click HERE for a log form.

** NEW ** HDS Extended Day Care needs volunteers to help out after school.  We are currently limiting this opportunity to 8th graders, with a possibility of opening it up to 6th and 7th graders later on.  If a student is interested in earning some community service hours, they will need to sign up a week in advance using THIS LINK.  Please contact Mrs. Mannarino with any questions.

The Old Savannah City Mission needs volunteers for various positions.  The mission provides food, shelter, and clothing to the homeless.  For more information, contact Connell Stiles at 912-232-1979 or stiles@oscm.org.

America’s Second Harvest needs volunteers to help prepare monthly bags of food for senior citizens in our community.  Volunteers should arrive by 7:45 and must wear closed-toe shoes. Contact Bryce Seuntjens at bryce@helpendhunger.org for more information.

Homework, music and dance lessons, as well as athletics may start to feel mundane as routines set in. I have had some wonderful conversations with middle school students about what to do when you don’t feel like following through with a commitment.  Identifying short-term and long-term goals, focusing on the positive, and weighing the pros and cons can help students stick to commitments, even on tough days. 

-Allison Maher, School Counselor

Algebra 1 - Mr. Cargile

Next week in Algebra 1 we will finish reviewing for our Unit 1 Assessment and students will take the assessment on Tuesday, September 17th. We will reflect on the results of the assessment and then begin working on our next unit, Properties of Real Numbers.

Geometry - Mr. Lanfear

Next week in Geometry, we will complete Chapter 2 by completing proofs about segments and angles (2.6) and proving statements about angle relationships (2.7).  We will have a day of review on Thursday and the Chapter 2 test on Friday.

Advanced Algebra - Mr. Lanfear

Next week in Advanced Algebra, we will complete the first part of Chapter 10 by practicing more problems involving the vertical motion model.  We will have a day of review on Tuesday and the Chapter 10.1-10.3 test on Wednesday. We will then begin the 2nd half of Chapter 10 by learning how to solve quadratic equations using square roots (10.4) and beginning to explore completing the square (10.5).

Physical Science - Ms. Hoffman

We have started our immersion into the wonderful world of Chemistry.  We have reviewed the chemical/ physical properties and changes of matter and the students participated in a Mystery Powders lab to try and identify four unknowns.  (See photos below.) We then continued with information on atoms and the Atomic Theory. The eighth graders created a poster on the famous historical figures (i.e. Dalton, Thompson, Rutherford and Bohr) contributing to our knowledge of the structure of the atom known as the Atomic Theory. Next week we will finish up with atoms and learn about ions and isotopes.   Our lab activity will be a radioactive decay simulation. We have moved our test on all this material until Friday, 9/20/19, along with a science binder check. Our September Science Choice Board is due Monday, 9/30/19. These are due at the end of each month (except December and May), so don’t forget to complete them. They also can be turned in early. The Science Fair topics the students have chosen look great and include a lot of variety.  I will check their log books and need to see the materials and procedures they will be doing for their projects next Wednesday, 9/18/19.  These, of course, may need to be updated and/or modified as the project moves along. The log book should also contain all their thoughts and ideas about their projects and each page is numbered and dated. Below is the list of all the due dates for our project.  I am available for specific project questions by email, during breaks/lunch and each morning on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7:30am until 8am.

Science Fair Project Dates

(* Indicate Homework Grades)

Monday                       8/26/19                        Science Fair Packets Home

Friday                           8/30/19                        *Signed Science Fair Proposal Form AND Parent

   Approval Form (1B) Due

Wednesday                9/4/19                          *Log Book Check/ Science Fair Topic and

   Question or Problem Due

Wednesday                9/18/19                        *Log Book Check with detailed Science Fair

                                                                               Materials and Procedures Due

Wednesday                10/02/19                     *Log Book Check with Research Notes Due

Wednesday                10/16/19                     *Rough Draft of Background Information Due

                                                                               (email or share document)

Wednesday                10/23/19                     *Log Book Check with Updates/ Revisions Due

Wednesday                11/6/19                        *Final Draft of Background Information Due

                                                                               (email or share document)

Wednesday                11/20/19                     *Log Book Check with Data/ Results OR

   Prototype/Solution Due

Wednesday                12/4/19                        *Log Book Check/ Updated Results or Solution AND

                                                                               Sketch of Triptych

 Completed Formal Report (printed) Due

Wednesday                12/11/19                     All Completed Projects Due

(Triptych, Log Book and completed Abstract Form)

            Complete abstract on-line or use form in the packet 

                                                                     Project presentations will also occur this week

                              

English Language Arts - Mrs. Boyer

Students will be embarking on their reading of To Kill a Mockingbird (TKAM). This novel will address some hard-hitting issues, so look forward to some engaging dinner conversations! I have sent out a reading schedule with your students, but it can also be found in the TKAM Topic in GC. Students will receive their novels on 9/16. The majority of their reading should be completed at home and during their free time. In class we will be interacting with activities based on this reading. 

IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT YOUR CHILD STAY ON TRACK WITH THEIR READING SCHEDULE. If students are not keeping up with the reading, then they will not be able to participate in projects, discussions, and activities. I am always in my room by 7:45 am if your child wants to hop on my couch or comfy chair and read for 15-20 minutes!! :)

We will continue engaging with Vocabulary Units 11 & 12 until 9/17 when students will take their quiz. We will begin Units 13 & 14 on 9/20. 

History & Gov’t II - Mrs. Robinson

Next week in American History and Government Part II we will continue our study of the Civil War. Students will learn about many different aspects of the war including, new technology, photography's effect on the war, major battles, important Generals and how different groups contributed to the war effort.

8th grade Spanish - Ms. Hill We will be reviewing our Spanish speaking countries and capitals in preparation for a map quiz as well as doing research for our first group project of the year. I will be assigning you a country to research and we will present them the week of September 2. Map quiz on Wednesday, September 18th.

Algebra 1 - Mr. Cargile

Next week in Algebra 1 we will finish reviewing for our Unit 1 Assessment and students will take the assessment on Tuesday, September 17th. We will reflect on the results of the assessment and then begin working on our next unit, Properties of Real Numbers.

Pre-Algebra - Mr. Lanfear

Next week in Pre-Algebra, we will continue Chapter 2 by practicing simplifying variable expressions (2.3), solving equations mentally (2.4), and solving one-step equations using addition/subtraction (2.5) and multiplication/division (2.5).  There will be a quiz on Thursday covering sections 2.1-2.3.

History & Gov’t I - Mrs. Robinson

Next week in American History & Government Part I we will be diving into European exploration of the Americas. Students will engage with topics like the Columbian Exchange, European and Native American interactions, and the transfer and destruction of culture. We will also begin work on our major Explorer Research Project. Details of this project will be given to students at the end of this week and posted on Google Classroom.

7th grade Spanish - Ms. Hill

Vocabulary: Learning about cognates. A cognate is a word that is very similar in appearance and meaning in more than one language. We will also begin our review of the Spanish speaking countries and capitals as well as their geographic locations in preparation for our quiz on Tuesday, September 10th.

ELA - Mrs. Boyer

Literature: Students will be embarking on their reading of The Hobbit. This novel is a part of the fantasy genre, so look forward to some interesting dinner conversations! I have sent out a reading schedule with your students, but it can also be found in the The Hobbit Topic in GC. Students will receive their novels on 9/16. The majority of their reading should be completed at home and during their free time. In class we will be interacting with activities based on this reading. 

IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT YOUR CHILD STAY ON TRACK WITH THEIR READING SCHEDULE. If students are not keeping up with the reading, then they will not be able to participate in projects, discussions, and activities. I am always in my room by 7:45 am if your child wants to hop on my couch or comfy chair and read for 15-20 minutes!! :)

I have sent home a film permission slip which is due on Monday, 9/16. 

Usually Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays are Literature Days. 

Vocabulary: Students will begin Unit 2; the quiz is TBA. Students have their vocabulary workbooks; this workbook will be collected in May and used during their 8th grade year as well.

Grammar: Our grammar units will begin this week; therefore, please send your child in for morning help if needed. Also, I always post extra resources in GC such as practice sheets, IXL links, Youtube videos, etc. Grammar is a difficult concept to grasp which means your child needs to identify their learning style and use that to succeed in regards to these concepts. 

Usually Tuesdays and Thursdays are Grammar and Vocabulary Days. 

Assessments can be any day Tuesday-Friday! :)

Life Science - Mrs. DuRant

Next week in Life Science, we will begin with a review for our Unit 1 test which will include the characteristics of life, classification of organisms and dichotomous keys. This test has been rescheduled to September 17 due to being out  for the hurricane. On Wednesday, we will begin studying the exciting world of cells! Several engaging projects and labs are planned with this unit as we delve into the study of cell structure and function.

Accelerated Math 7 - Mr. Cargile

Next week in Accelerated Math 7 we will finish reviewing for the Unit 1 Assessment and then we will reflect on the outcome of the assessment to help deepen our learning and understanding of the concepts. At the end of the week we will begin our next unit,  Decimal  Operations. Take a peek into our classroom - the pictures below show students working on a perimeter and area task!

Pre-Algebra - Mr. Lanfear

Next week in Pre-Algebra, we will continue Chapter 2 by practicing simplifying variable expressions (2.3), solving equations mentally (2.4), and solving one-step equations using addition/subtraction (2.5) and multiplication/division (2.5).  There will be a quiz on Thursday covering sections 2.1-2.3.

ELA - Mrs. Sasser

Students will review for their Unit 1 test on SRES, proofreading marks, and annotation strategies on Monday. They will test on Tuesday. During the second part of the week, students will begin their next unit of study on plot, character, and conflict. They will practice identifying these elements in various Pixar short films and then read their first short story entitled “The School Play.” They will look at the structure of the plot and identify the major conflict and character types in this text.

Earth Science - Mrs. Hoffman

This week in science we finished up with our information on matter and had our Unit test.  The students also participated in a lab to learn about the Conservation of Mass. (See the photos below.)  Lastly, we began our information on heat transfer, which includes conduction, convection and radiation. Next week the students will  also learn about sea/land breezes, global warming and the greenhouse effect and create a booklet on all these types of heat transfer during an in-class project.  We will also have a quick 10 question “pop” quiz. All of this information will lead us up to our Weather Unit beginning with the layers of the atmosphere.

Earth Science - Mrs. DuRant

This week in Earth Science we will be focused on an in class project in which students will be making a Heat Transfer Booklet.  This is an engaging project which allows them to research several aspects of heat transfer. I’m excited to see their results! Upon completion of this project, we will begin to explore the earth’s atmosphere and weather/climate.   

Ancient Civ -  Mr. O’Hayer

This week we will bring Ch. 2 to a close. We will finish Lesson 3: Building Communities on Monday. Our Ch. 2 Test is Wednesday, the 18th. We will spend Tuesday reviewing. The rest of the week we will Introduce Ch. 3: Civilizations in Mesopotamia. We will also begin to incorporate our map skills into Ch. 3 and continue these skills/study into the next chapter. These map skills will be honed as we move through the course and study future civilizations. 

Spanish - Mr. Alexander

This week we will be reviewing the present tense conjugations of the regular -ar, -er, -ir verbs in Spanish.  We will also be reviewing the days of the week, the months, and some weather conditions. We will continue making flash cards in order to prepare for our first cumulative test, which will be the following week.

SPECIALS

Art - Mrs. Cookson

“Nature is not only all that is visible to the eye...it also includes the inner pictures of the soul.” - Edvard Munch

8th: Will finish up with the Color Wheel Graffiti have an introduction to Architectural Elements

7th: Will come back to the Geometric Still Life working on scale, perspective, and object relationships

6th: Will finish up with Adjective, Adjective, Noun final drawings adding detail and color