Good evening, Hugh Mercer Students and Families,
This is your principal, Mr. Snyder, with your weekly update for the upcoming week.
I hope you had an enjoyable weekend. Last week, we enjoyed seeing so many of you at the basketball game between Hugh Mercer and Lafayette. I hope you had fun and thank you for helping cheer us on to victory.
We are gearing up for SOL testing on April 22nd for our 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders. K-2 is starting to assess with their teachers how well prepared they are going to be for next year and in their new grade. Regular school attendance is very important to try and follow each week from now until the end of the school year.
For any student absences, please ensure you communicate with their teacher promptly to coordinate makeup work and support their academic progress.
Tomorrow, April 8th, FCPS has announced that it will be an early release day due to the solar eclipse and its impact and occurrence during our dismissal time. Hugh Mercer will dismiss at 12:45pm like we do on any early release day. All Hugh Mercer students will be sent home with appropriate eyewear to view the eclipse if their parents wish to allow them to view the eclipse. Information was shared with all students in their classes about the ways to view the eclipse safely, including ways that do not require looking directly at the sun.
As we work to improve our work with our students and their behaviors, we have adopted a training program that helps focus on personal responsibility by teachers, students, and families with a student’s behaviors and how we can influence a student’s choice of behavior. Responsibility Centered Discipline (RCD) is an established approach to helping students take ownership of their decisions. To learn more about RCD as well as how parents can help HMES with making RCD a success in our school communities, please join us on Monday April 8th at Lafayette ES from 5:30 to 7pm for a Parent Night with the founders of RCD. Flyers were sent home last week about the evening event and information is available on all FCPS websites.
Come and join us on Tuesday, April 9th to see the great works of scientific discovery our students have engaged in as we display our HMES Science Fair from 4pm to 6:30pm.
Also on Tuesday, April 9th, our FCPS Special Education Advisory Committee will meet virtually from 5:30pm to 6:30pm. A link has been provided to families and parents who may wish to participate.
Please be aware that on Wednesday, April 10th, all FCPS schools will be closed for a student holiday. Please plan accordingly for your child to be home that day.
On Thursday, April 11th, HMES will host its annual Kindergarten Registration in the cafeteria and gym from 5pm to 7pm.
The upcoming Mental Health Resource Fair, which will take place at James Monroe High School on Saturday, April 13, 2024, from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM. This event aims to provide valuable resources and support for our community in promoting mental wellness and resilience.
To register for the event, please use the registration link or the attached QR code. Registration ends on April 8, 2024.
https://forms.office.com/r/ESjAhJyjfU
As always, we are looking forward to another productive and positive week ahead. Please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns. Your partnership is essential, and working together ensures the success of every Hugh Mercer student.
I hope you enjoy your evening and look forward to a wonderful week ahead.
Goodnight,
Mr. Snyder