Holdrum Middle School

Committed to Excellence

August 2024

Dear Holdrum Families,

On behalf of Mrs. Puzzo and our teaching staff, I am excited to welcome you to the new and improved Holdrum Middle School for the 2024-2025 school year. After two and a half years of construction, we are nearing the final stages of this process. We deeply appreciate your patience and support during these significant changes on our campus.

Seventh and eighth grade students, because you have experience at Holdrum Middle School, we will hold you to a higher standard this year. You know the routines, rules and expectations; this will allow you to serve as role models for this year’s sixth graders. Don’t hesitate to lend a hand helping a new student, whether it’s giving directions to a classroom, assisting with a locker or just being a friendly face in the hallway. I know you will meet these expectations admirably. 

The first day of school is Monday, September 9, 2024. Please arrive by 7:50 a.m. Upon arrival, report directly to your advisory classroom, which is listed in this summer mailing. This mailing will also include your locker number.

As part of our ongoing commitment to student well-being, we will continue to implement the RULER approach. RULER, developed by the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, is a research-based framework that helps students and staff develop a common language for understanding emotions, build emotional intelligence skills, and foster a positive school culture. RULER will be integrated into advisory sessions, as well as core and encore classes. Additionally, the opening of “The Hawk’s Nest,” our new student wellness center, along with other outdoor spaces, will emphasize the importance of social, emotional, and physical wellness. We will also continue Wellness Wednesdays, replacing Advisory Day Mondays, to provide a mid-week check-in.

The River Vale School District is implementing new mandates, standards, and curricula across various subjects. This year, our eighth-grade elective program is evolving with the addition of new course offerings. Our new language arts curriculum, developed in collaboration with our regional partners and the Pascack Valley Regional School District, will be introduced this year.

In mathematics, our department will continue to implement the revised Big Ideas series. This series supports the belief that every student can succeed in math through real-world connections, meaningful conversations, and solving complex problems. We are dedicated to engaging students with rigorous content aligned with NJSLS standards to enhance their mathematical achievement.

A new regional science curriculum will be piloted for Grade 6 this year. This spiraled curriculum will cover Life, Earth, Space, and Physical Sciences and will expand to seventh and eighth grades over the next two years.

Additionally, we are continuing our second year of the Basic Skills Instruction (BSI) program, offering supplementary support in language arts and mathematics to enhance student learning and success. This program provides targeted assistance in a small group setting, promoting collaboration and skill improvement.

As part of our emphasis on technology, every HMS student will receive a Chromebook for use both at school and at home. Students are expected to bring their Chromebooks to and from home each day, so responsibility is crucial. To protect these devices, a $30 Accidental Damage Protection fee is required each year. This plan covers most accidental damage. Please ensure this payment is made by August 27th to ensure protection for the 24-25 school year.

We will continue to use Canvas, our student learning management system, where students and parents can access information for all classes in one convenient location. Parent observer accounts will be available again, with instructions provided directly on the Canvas website. You will receive step-by-step directions to guide you through the process.

This year, students will have increased access to our state-of-the-art Media Center and a broad range of elective courses. We are excited to offer these opportunities to support your success at Holdrum, in high school, and beyond.

For answers to some of your questions about Holdrum, please visit the Holdrum 60 webpage and view the short presentations available there. This page, found under “Our School” on the Holdrum website, provides important information about daily life at Holdrum.

I look forward to seeing you on September 9, 2024. I hope that HMS will offer you opportunities to become a compassionate citizen, fearless trailblazer, global communicator, collaborative innovator, and problem solver in a safe and improved environment. By striving to make this your best year ever, you will also contribute to making the HMS community the best it can be.

Yours in Education,

James P. Cody
Principal

You will find the summer mailing packet online.  It is broken down into several sections for your review and action.  Please note that this year many of the mandatory forms will require your electronic acknowledgement on the Genesis Parent Portal, those forms are specified below. 

Part 1 - Mailing

These are the forms that you have received in the USPS mailing which are specific to your child.

If applicable

Part 2 - Mandatory

The annual Chromebook Accidental Damage Protection Payment must be made through MySchoolBucks no later than Tuesday, August 27th. Information for MySchoolBucks can be found under Parent Resources on the district website.

Part 3 - Informative

These letters do not need to be returned to HMS, they are for your review and can all be found online.

Part 4 - Optional

These are the forms which only apply as necessary.  Please fill out forms that pertain to your child(ren) and return to HMS no later than Friday, September 20, 2024.