Middle Years Newsletter
The Middle Years Newsletter provides a path for parents of middle school students to help their child succeed.  Middle school students experience many developmental and emotional changes in grades 6-8 and this newsletter offers parents many suggestions and ideas on how to make these years easier for parents and their children.

From September through May, readers get practical, age-appropriate tips and ideas today's busy families can use immediately to:

• Improve school success
• Boost the home and school partnership
• Enhance parenting skills
• Build positive character traits

Each month there will be a link to the Middle Years Newsletter which is published by Resources for Educators, a division of Aspen Publishers.  It may be viewed in .pdf format and will require Adobe Acrobat Reader to view.  (Click on the link to download it for free. Adobe Acrobat.)

Click here to view current issues of the newsletter.

ProgressBook Parent Access
Orange County Public Schools provide its students and staff with access to technology tools and information which improve student performance. In keeping with this goal, HCMS has implemented ProgressBook. ProgressBook is an online classroom information tool for teachers, students, and parents. You now have access to up to the minute homework, attendance, and grading information for each of your student’s classes . To access ProgressBook, you will need to have an active Internet connection and have a web browser (preferably Internet Explorer 5.0 or higher) open. Then do the following:

1. Go to http://parentaccess.ocps.net
2. Enter Username and Password. Supplied to all students on September 5 th.
3. View your child’s attendance, homework, and progress. You can view your child’s attendance history, homework assignments, and progress report by clicking on the appropriate tabs on the top right of the window.

 Inquiries to Mr. Nicosia, Technology Specialist 407-858-4620 x234 or nicosir@ocps.net

Food and Nutrition Services
website: https://www.ocps.net/op/food/Pages/default.aspx
Free and Reduced Lunch application forms are sent home the first week of school with a letter to parents or guardians. To apply for free or reduced priced meals, parents of students not approved by direct certification must fill out the application and return it to the school as soon as possible. A new application must be filled out at the beginning of each school year in order for meal benefits to continue.

Lunch Menu (You will need Adobe Reader to open this file.)

Parent Workshop August 20
Many of our parents participated on our First Days of School Celebration. On August 20th, HCMS held a Parent Workshop designed to help parents maximize their child's homework and study skills, and parent-teacher workshop. This interactive workshop also touched base on the importance of understanding middle school transitioning and effective communication between parents and teenagers.
Thank you to all who participated and supported our 1st Days of School Celebration!