BOOK FAIR
(Updated On: 1/8/09)
The
Hightower Trail Book Fair will be
January 26-30 in the Eighth Grade
Commons. Once again Borders will be
providing the books. The Book Fair will
be open from 8:00 - 8:30 on Monday and
8:00 - 5:00 the rest of the week.
Charge cards and checks will be
accepted. Checks must be for the
correct amount, as no change will be
given for them.
We
encourage parents to be actively
involved in their child's reading
selections. Reading ability, personal
interest, emotional maturity, and family
values are all factors that will
influence your child's book selections.
"HONORING
OUR HEROES" ANNUAL ESSAY CONTEST
(Updated On: 1/7/09)
Students, who is the real hero in your
life? Who has really made a difference
in your life or helped you through tough
or difficult times? Who has inspired
you to be the best person that you can
be each day? Who helps you to help
others in your family, school, sports
team or activities?
Grab a
pencil and paper and be a part of this
year’s “Honoring Our Heroes” essay
contest! Write about your hero and
explain why he or she is so important to
you. Your hero could be a parent,
coach, friend, teacher or anyone you
know personally who has made a truly
positive impact on your life. Click
HERE for more details.
ITBS SCORES
(Updated On:
12/09/08)
Cobb
County recently released scores for this
year's ITBS. And although Cobb County
scores were down from last year in the 8th
grade, Hightower students did quite well:
| |
District |
HTMS |
|
Reading |
56% |
78% |
|
Lang.
Arts |
56% |
75% |
|
Math |
58% |
80% |
|
Soc.
Stud. |
56% |
73% |
|
Science |
62% |
79% |
|
Composite |
58% |
78% |
PEBBLEBROOK
AUDITIONS
(Updated On: 12/8/08)
Cobb
County Center for Excellence in the
Performing Arts at Pebblebrook High School
Director, Mr. Frank Timmerman, will have
an informational meeting for interested
8th grade students and parents December 11
at 12:45 in the Media Center at Hightower
Trail. Auditions will be January 7 at
11:20 in the theater. Interested students
and parents may access information on this
program at
www.cccepa.com Admissions applications
are posted there. Students may apply and
audition for vocal music, dance, theater
acting, and/or technical theater.
For more
information, contact the Director at
frank.timmerman@cobbk12.org or the 8th
grade counselor, Judith Reichenbach, at
(770) 578-7228.
CRCT STUDY GUIDES
(Updated On:
10/24/08)
Did you
know that CRCT Study Guides 2008 are
posted to the GaDOE website on the CRCT
home page?
There is a student study guide for each
grade level that provides an overview,
test-taking strategies, preparation hints,
and even practice questions.
And, of particular interest is the section
on Reading in each grade level. Click
HERE for the guides.
YEARBOOKS
(Updated On:
10/23/08)
Yearbooks
are purchased through the Jostens yearbook
company. No sales will be made at
school. The cost of the yearbook is $35.
You may access the site by going to
www.jostens.com.
RELAY FOR LIFE
(Updated On: 9/11/08)
Hightower
students will again be participating in
this year's Relay for Life. Their website
is up and running with all of the
information. Click
HERE for details.
CLASSIFIED EMPLOYEE OF THE
YEAR
(Updated On:
9/11/08)
Hightower
would like to congratulate Ms. Bev Sharp,
our Food Services Manager, as our
Classified Employee of the Year. She works
hard to make sure that our students have a
delicious, healthy lunch each day. Thank
you Ms. Sharp!
HTMS MATHCOUNTS AWARD
(Updated On:
4/1/08)
Hightower's MathCounts club was just
awarded
Gold Level status based on their
performance on the most recent Ultimate
Math Challenges (UMC). This is a
fantastic achievement, and we are proud
of everyone who contributed. Be sure to
look for the banner recognizing their
accomplishment!
CELL PHONE POLICY
(Updated on:
2/22/08)
Safety
and security are basic human needs. In
school that means no significant
learning takes place if a child does not
feel safe and secure. Although both home
and school need to provide safety for
students, schools now face dealing with
the dangers associated with cyberspace.
With the popularity of video cell
phones, text messaging, and the
internet; students often spend more time
on electronics than they do on physical
activities. Additionally, they seldom
comprehend the repercussions that can
occur from posting to My Space, Face
Book, or revealing personal information
about themselves or others on the
internet.
Hightower Trail, like other schools, has
experienced an increase in discipline
related to cyber bullying, the use of
the internet or mobile devices for
sending hurtful messages or for
demeaning others. Although the
district’s firewall policy prevents
students from accessing My Space and
Face Book at school, the results of
these activities have carried over from
use on home computers. Students bring to
school instant messages that they have
printed from home and share what they
have read about other students. This
causes hurt feelings and disruptions to
the school day. Students have also used
their cell phones to video unaware
students. Some student videos have been
posted on You Tube. Students are also
sharing personal information on the
internet, such as photos, birth dates,
phone numbers, and identifiable
information about themselves and others.
It is important that we are proactive in
addressing this ever-increasing issue.
Therefore, beginning Monday, February
25th, students will be expected to leave
all electronic devices in their lockers
upon arrival to school. They may
retrieve them from the lockers at the
end of the school day. Any electronic
devices not in lockers will be taken up
by teachers and turned in to grade-level
administrators. Parents will need to
come to school to pick up these. Please
assist us by reminding your child of
this change in procedure beginning
Monday. Please monitor your child’s
activity with video cell phones, text
messaging, and internet postings; and
discuss with your child the importance
of refraining from posting personal
information or from involvement with any
form of cyber bullying.
Let us
know if there is any way in which we can
help you.
HUSKY
FOUNDATION SITE
(Updated on: 2/15/08)
Hightower's new Husky Foundation has
announced the launch of their new
website. There is plenty of good
information, so take a moment to check
it out:
http://www.huskyfoundation.org
HTMS HONORED BY DISTRICT
(Updated on: 1/29/08)
Hightower Trail was one of only 10
middle schools to meet the required
criteria for inclusion in Cobb County's
Advanced Placement Certified Schools
(APCS) program. The APCS program began
in 2004 as a means of making challenging
honors and AP classes accessible to more
students and support high achievement in
their course work.
NEW GRADUATION RULES
(Updated on 1/18/08)
Parents, are you up-to-date on the
changes to the graduation rules? Cobb
County has posted some helpful
information
HERE. You'll also receive more
information at your parent-teacher
conference.
SILVER STATE AWARD
(Updated 10/31/07)
Hightower has just been awarded
Georgia's Silver Award for Student
Achievement. The awards are based on
student performance on the 2006-07 CRCT
tests (for elementary and middle
schools) or the Georgia High School
Graduation Tests (for high schools),
state assessments that help determine a
school’s status under federal No Child
Left Behind standards.
Each
award has four honor levels – Platinum,
Gold, Silver and Bronze – that
correspond to a school’s consistent
performance and Adequate Yearly Progress
(AYP) status.
Congratulations also go to: Shallowford
Falls and Tritt elementary for the
Platinum award, Murdock elementary for
the Gold award, Pope for the Silver
award and Mountain View for the Bronze
award. Additional information is
available at The Governor’s Office for
Student Achievement Web site at
http://www.gaosa.org.
iPARENT ASSISTANCE
(Updated 9/10/07)
Help is
still available if you are having
iParent login issues. Contact the front
office and they will either connect you
to Dr. Lombardi (if he's available) or
take your contact information so that he
can call you back.
If you
have not yet set up your account, you
will need to bring a signed copy of
THIS FORM with you when you come to
pick up your access code.
