HELEN TYSON HORNET BUZZ

• Hello, this is Patrick Scott, principal at Helen Tyson Middle School. I would like to take this opportunity to welcome everyone back for the 2023-2024 school year. Our staff is diligently getting ready for this upcoming school year. We are determined to provide a safe and encouraging learning environment where all students can grow and be successful. Please take a brief moment to review some of the upcoming events and important information concerning back to school. More information will follow. Just a reminder that school starts Monday August 14th at 8:05am. Have a great rest of your Summer Hornets!

Parents and Guardians: Feel free to drop off your 6th grade student on Friday August 4th from 12:00pm - 3:00pm. New 6th grade students will get to know some teachers and classmates through fun team building activities. Students, this is a lot of fun and a great way to feel less nervous on the first day of school.

Parents and Guardians,

Please use this as a guide when deciding on clothing for your student. We realize school appropriate clothing may not be every student's first choice when purchasing clothes, but it is important that we use these guidelines when dressing for school.

Dress Code

The following guidelines should be followed:

• Hats/hoodies shall not be worn in the building.

• Muscle shirts are not to be worn to school.

• Clothing which by color, design, or symbol is deemed suggestive, racist, violent, vulgar, or promoting tobacco, drug, or alcohol use are not to be worn to school.

• No student is to wear, carry, or display apparel deemed gang-related (“sagging” pants/shorts, head rags, bandanas, chains, spiked or studded jewelry, shaved eyebrows, etc.) or exhibit behavior or gestures which symbolize gang membership.

• A student’s appearance and dress shall not disrupt or contribute to disruption of the educational process or interfere with rights or opportunities of others to learn or teach.This includes piercings, accessories, hair styles, and clothing which disrupt the learning environment. All clothing must be school appropriate.

• Shorts/skirts must be at least fingertip length.

• Holes in jeans/shorts should not expose skin above the fingertips. Students will be asked to change or cover the holes.

• No bare midriffs or visible cleavage.

• No undergarments shall be visible: this includes bra, underwear, or shorts underneath pants or sweats.

Please visit the Springdale school district's Child Nutrition page for breakfast and lunch menus, information on how to add money to your student's account, and to access the free and reduced breakfast/lunch form.

We encourage ALL families to fill out the free and reduced breakfast/lunch form. The form must be filled out each year if you want your child to continue to receive free breakfast/lunch. To access the form online please click on this link. Free & Reduced Lunch Form

During the June School Board Meeting, a change to our school zoning was passed and goes into effect for this school year. The rezoning will affect all students that live in the Bayyari attendance zone. Please see the attached letters for information concerning the rezoning. Here is a bulleted summary:

* All Helen Tyson students that live in the Bayyari attendance zone have been rezoned to attend J.O. Kelly Middle School starting in the 2023-2024 school year.

* Incoming 6th grade students that have a sibling attending HTMS may fill out an In District Transfer to attend HTMS with their sibling.

* Incoming 7th graders that attended HTMS last school year will also be approved to continue coming to school at HTMS by filling out the In District Transfer form.

* Students not filling out the In District Transfer Form will be attending J.O. Kelly Middle School beginning August 14th, 2023 (The first day of school).

For detailed information concerning the rezoning, please review the letter that was mailed to families earlier in the Summer.

Parents and guardians please see this information if you would like more information on signing up for our PTO. This is a great way to connect with your child's school and be engaged with our community. Thank you!

HTMS will open at 7:30 am each morning. Students dropped off before 7:30 am will be unsupervised. It is highly encouraged that parents wait until 7:30 am, at the earliest, to drop off their student. School will start at 8:05 am each day. On Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday the school day will end at 3:30 pm. On each Wednesday of this school year, the student day ends at 2:10 pm, to allow for our teachers to have professional collaboration time. Early out Wednesday will operate the same as it did last year.