Hamilton Headlines

News and notes from
Hamilton Middle
January 16, 2020
Vol. 1, Issue 19
**NO SCHOOL MONDAY & FRIDAY**
Quick Links
UPCOMING EVENTS
See what's happening in the
coming month .
January
  • 16: Grade 8 Musical, 7pm
  • 20: No School: MLK Jr. Holiday
  • 24: End 1st Semester, No School: Grade Reporting
February
  • 7: No School (Prof. Dev. Day)
  • 12: PTO Meeting, 6pm, LMC
  • 14: No School: Parent-Teacher Conference
Crêpe party in French class!
Parent-Teacher Conferences
Winter Parent-Teacher conferences are scheduled for the evening of February 13, and all day on Friday, February 14, a pupil-free day. Unlike the fall conferences, winter conferences for each student tend to include a group of teachers and thus there are far fewer time slots for meetings. Due to the reduced number of time slots, winter conferences are invitational in nature and teachers will contact parents if there is a need to meet. Of course, any parent can request a conference. The best way to schedule a conference for your child is to contact their Advisory teacher.
Are You Ready for High School? Info for 8th Grade Families
All 8th grader students are starting to learn about, plan for, and are in the process of choosing their courses for 9th grade. Activities aligned to the transition from 8th grade to 9th in which students are currently participating include:

  • Understanding high school requirements
  • Exploring the 9th grade course guide
  • Completing 9th grade course cards
  • Participating in the Xello Transition to High School Lesson
  • Hearing from a West High School panel (at Hamilton)
  • Developing a 4 year plan (that continues into high school)
  • Taking part in events held at West High School

Important dates :
Week of January 13th: High school transition activities in Advisory classes
January 23rd: West HS counselors present in Language Arts classes
January 27th, West HS 7:00pm: 8th Grade Parent/Student Info Night
    Topics include :
  • Transition to West
  • Course selection process
  • Elective courses
January 30th: Completed course cards due to Advisory teachers
Week of February 3rd: 9th grade course entry into Xello during Language Arts classes
Week of February 10th: High School panel from West HS presents in Language Arts classes

Some helpful links for more information:

A Note on the Pathways Program: Keep in mind that West High School is not enrolling students in Personalized Pathways at West for the 2020-21 school year. You may have received a postcard from MMSD stating the process for enrolling in Pathways. All MMSD students transitioning from 8th grade to 9th grade can apply for Pathways programs. If accepted to a Pathways program and you as the parent accept the placement in Pathways, your child will attend a Pathways program at a high school other than West.
Additional Opportunity for 8th Grade Students:
Information Technology Academy
Information Technology Academy (ITA) is a pre-college initiative with the goal of increasing enrollment rates of diverse students at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Accepted ITA applicants may be eligible for a full-tuition scholarship if accepted into UW Madison. ITA accepts students in 8th grade who are planning to attend a Madison Metropolitan School District public high school who fit one of these criteria*: 

  1. Targeted minority group (African American, American Indian, Asian American, Chicano/a, Puerto Rican, Latinx)
  2. Strong academic potential (2.75 GPA or higher) who may be the first in their family to attend college 
  3. Low income
*Students must also have an interest in Information Technology 

There will be a Hamilton Middle student recruitment day on Monday, February 17th during Advisory in the LMC. Any 8th grade student who falls within the targeted populations listed above will be invited to attend.

Through ITA, high school students build knowledge and skills with hands-on training, academic support, mentoring, leadership development, community service, and internship opportunities. At the same time, the students’ communities benefit from greater access to technology and from the skills and experience gained by these future leaders.


If you have questions, please email Maddie Schaefer, School Counselor, mschaefer@madison.k12.wi.us
Meet Lucia Rowley
Ms. Lucia Rowley has been Hamilton's Advanced Learning Specialist for 10 years. Ms. Rowley began her teaching career in Madison at Lapham Elementary, teaching K-2 students, and then moved to Mendota Elementary and taught fifth grade for five years. She then followed her students to Black Hawk Middle and taught seventh grade math for six years and will finish out her career with the Advanced Learning Department sharing her time between Hamilton and Wright Middle Schools. Ms. Rowley was born and raised in Madison, started school at Longfellow School and graduated from West High School. Even though she was born and raised with Wisconsin winters, Ms. Rowley shares that she still cringes when the weather gets cold. She loves warm weather and outdoor activities like volleyball, softball, hiking, gardening, and sitting on the deck playing cards with friends and family. She is always up for a good rock concert (the louder the better) and binging on an addicting Netflix series. Ms. Rowley states that the thing she loves most about Hamilton is, "Working with dedicated staff and amazing students. Their enthusiasm is contagious. The students make the days fly by; they can always make me smile. I will miss them and the staff the most when I retire!" As Ms. Rowley prepares to head into retirement at the conclusion of this school year, she would like to give "A huge thanks to parents, staff, and students who always challenge us to do our best each day and remind us that in the end, it's what's in the best interest of the child that truly matters."
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