Good Evening, Patriots—
This is an important message from Dr. Brenda Russ, Principal of Hugh Mercer Elementary School. We had a great week last week—2nd graders wrote short stories, 5th graders had a science experiment, kindergarteners practiced writing their names, among many other exciting things!
General School Updates:
All students in Grades 1-3 and select students in Grades 4-5 will begin to take the VALLSS assessment tomorrow. The VALLSS assessment is a literacy assessment intended to screen and identify students in need of additional reading intervention and support. This assessment will be conducted during the Language Arts block.
The next PTA meeting will be on Thursday, September 4, at 6:00 PM in the school's library. If you have not joined our PTA, it is not late to do so. Your support, participation, and engagement are critical for our collective success.
HMES will begin Girls on the Run for Grades 3-5 will begin on September 13. Please review the flyer attached for more information.
HMES will host their Scholastic Book Fair soon! The Book Fair will be from September 8-11, 2025. Families will have a chance to visit the Book Fair during our Family Connections Night on September 9, from 5:00–7:00 PM. Please visit this website for more information: Book Fair Homepage
School Attendance:
As we settle into the new academic year, I want to highlight the importance of consistent attendance. Regular school attendance is the foundation of a student's educational journey. Every day in the classroom offers a chance to build on prior knowledge, engage with teachers, and participate in learning that can't be replicated at home. When a student is absent, they are missing critical instruction necessary for academic growth. If your child has to be absent due to appointments and/or illness, please contact Mrs. Brenda Tate and your child's teacher. When possible, submit a doctor's note.
Transportation Reminders:
Although we have seen some improvement, we continue to face transportation challenges. Please be reminded that at no time should parents/families engage in a discourteous manner with our bus drivers. Please refrain from making threats, using profanity, and getting on our buses to argue or intimidate our drivers. Our students are watching. These behaviors will not be tolerated and do not align with our Patriots' Core Values of perseverance, achievement, tenacity, respect, integrity, optimism, teamwork, and safety.
Thank you for your continued support of Hugh Mercer. We are stronger together.
Today and always, Go Patriots!
Respectfully,
Dr. Brenda Russ