Click Recap to view pictures and read about what’s been going on at HMS this week.
HMS Drama Club First Fundraiser
The HMS Drama Club will be selling snacks during Open House. Parents are encouraged to grab a quick snack to support the drama club.
Picture Day Information
HMS Picture Day is Thursday, October 9.
Please visit mylifetouch.com to order your desired package.
The HMS Picture day I.D. is EVTVJNTKF
Paper order forms were handed out today during HR
If you use a paper form, please have your child bring it with them on October 9 and hand it to the photographer.
Bus Tracking App
Durham’s new bus tracking app “Bus Zone” is now available for parents to download and use.
Please click on this link for instructions - Bus Zone Parent Information and Instructions.
You will need two pieces of information to access the App (also included in the link above):
School Access Code: 4018MPS
Student ID Number: This can be found by logging into the PowerSchool parent portal https://gradebook.milforded.org
Some of the key features of the Bus Zone App are:
View a real-time, map-based bus locator
You can create custom zones for each stop and facility
It will send email alerts and SMS messages
Available on smartphones and tablet
If you have questions regarding the App, please contact Durham directly at buszone4018@nellc.com.
HMS After School Activities Clubs will begin on Monday, October 13, 2025 and end on Thursday, May 14, 2026. Students may participate in activities scheduled on the day(s) designated from 2:50 to 4:00 p.m.
⇨ With parental permission, students may ride home on the late bus only if they are bus students.
⇨Transportation for non-bus students must be arranged prior to the day of the activity.
Please review the list of clubs and their descriptions with your child. Then complete the Google Club Selection Form to indicate your child’s first, second, or third choices.
This Google Selection Form must be completed by 3:00 PM on Wednesday, September 24, 2025.
Please note space in some clubs is limited. Once an activity is filled a wait list will be created and openings will be filled accordingly.
Every effort will be made to honor requests.
Finalized club lists will be posted outside of the front office.
If you have any questions, please contact the front office or email Mrs. Ginsberg, School Secretary, at aginsberg@milforded.org.
Once club participation is confirmed, students will be notified and called to the lobby to receive a permission slip for the club. The permission slip will need to be returned to the office prior to the start of the club.
PTO
The first PTO meeting will be on Wednesday, September 17 at 7:00 PM at HMS.
Harborside Class of 2026 Fundraiser Opportunity
Please consider supporting Grade 8 with its first fundraiser of the year by purchasing a mum or three for your yard.
Click Mums to complete an order form.
Click Fall Mums for pricing.
Pick up will be on Thursday, September 25 from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM.
Tardy to School
We know sometimes things happen that cause us to be late, which is why we wanted to let families know Harborside’s practice on frequent tardiness.
Unexcused tardies (not being late due to an appointment accompanied with a doctor’s office note) are counted at the district level and reported. At 5 unexcused tardies, an email will be sent to parents to make them aware of accumulating late arrivals.
Students are considered tardy to school if they are not in their assigned classrooms by the school’s start time, which is 8:00 AM. Please note that our bells are synchronized to cell phone and computer clocks.
Any student arriving late to school must report to the Lobby Greeter to check-in. All tardy arrivals are considered unexcused unless a doctor’s note is provided.
Tardies resulting from professional appointments (medical, legal, etc.) must be documented by an original note from that professional and submitted at the time the student signs in with the Greeter in the Lobby. These notes must be on the professional’s original letterhead.
Excessive tardiness will result in the following;
At five (5) tardies, students will receive notification that they have been tardy five (5) times and that additional tardies will result in consequences/intervention. For example,
At (ten) 10 tardies, a student will receive an after school detention for being tardy for ten (10) days.
The time of detention will be 3:00-4:00 pm. A late bus can be provided if the student is assigned a bus at the beginning of the year.
After the first detention, a student will receive an after school detention for every five (5) tardies after the original detention was given.
Students with chronic tardiness will receive additional interventions/consequences.
In person meetings with parents may be necessary if the pattern continues.
Early Dismissal Procedure
If you need to pick your child up early, please email our Greeter directly at ktilt@milforded.org, so she can have your child ready in a timely manner You may also send in your child with a handwritten note, or call the main office at 203-783-3523.
Please remember to bring your photo I.D. when picking up your child so we can safely dismiss them.
The adult picking up your child must be authorized to do so in PowerSchool unless written or verbal communication is given to a staff member by a parent or guardian prior to dismissal.
Please know that an early dismissal will be considered excused once a note is brought to school on the letterhead from the office visited.
As a reminder, if your child is not feeling well they are encouraged to be evaluated by our school nurse.
Students should not be using their electronic devices or the office phone to call home to be picked up without being seen and discharged by the nurse.
Lunch Menu -
This year, menus will be available on myschoolmenus.com.
To view the HMS School menu, select HMS from the drop down menu and then select menu (Breakfast or Lunch) type from the drop down menu. Then click Go.
This platform has many interactive features available-- to learn more, watch this instructional video on how to navigate the website.
Thursday, September 18 - Open House from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM. More information to follow.
Tuesday, September 23 - No school in observance of Rosh Hashanah.
Tuesday, September 24 - Early release for staff professional development. Students are dismissed at 12:45 PM.
Thursday, October 2 -Yom Kippur.
Monday, October 14 - HMS Clubs start
Wednesday, October 15 and Thursday, October 16 - Early release for Fall Conferences.
Fall Middle School Conferences -
Tuesday, October 15th 5:30-8:00 p.m.
Wednesday, October 16th 1:05-3:05 p.m
Spring Middle School Conference -
Tuesday, March 18th 1:05-3:05 p.m.
Wednesday, March 19th 5:30-8:00 p.m.