Return to Headlines

Welcome Message From the Principal: 2024-2025 School Year

Greetings Junior Titan Families.

 

Welcome to the 2024-2025 School Year. Our staff has been working hard to get the campus ready and we are excited to welcome all of our students back to school on Monday. This update will include a ton of information to help with the start of school.

 

Bell Schedule

School starts at 8:40 this year. We encourage all students to be on campus prior to 8:30 daily. The turn around gate will open at 8:00 AM. Students who did not complete the walk through registration earlier in August should report directly to the cafeteria. If you did not completely walk through parents may accompany their student to the cafeteria. School is out at 1:45 on Monday. 

 

Student Drop Off and Pick Up

Traffic on Refugio Valley Road can quickly back up. Dropping off early and picking up 10 or more minutes after the end of school will help avoid some of the traffic. When dropping off you may use the turn around. The turn around gate is where students should enter the school if they arrive prior to 9:00 AM. After school the turn around is blocked off to accommodate our school buses. Please make arrangements to meet your student at an alternative location such as Redwood Street. With ongoing construction, we will be looking for ways to adjust drop off and pick up as needed. Please do not park in the Staff Parking Lots. 

 

Schedules 

Students will receive their schedule on Monday morning in their advisory period. At the time you are reading this the schedules in PowerSchool will be set for Monday. We have been working hard to create schedules based on student requests, needs and availability within the master schedule. Please note our policy on class changes. Changes are only available for the following reasons.

  • Schedule mistakes such as a missing period or double periods of the same course.

  • Being placed in the wrong level for the course

Requests based on teacher or period preference or switching Elective topics will not be granted. If there is a larger issue to consider, please contact your counselor. Please understand that there has been a large volume of emails at this time and it may take 24-48 (business) hours to respond.

 

Counselors

Serve our students we have two fantastic counselors. 

 

Closed Campus

For the safety of all of our students and staff we are a closed campus. We utilize the turn around gate as our single point of entry and exit. Students are not allowed on the High School side of campus unless accompanied by an adult. All visitors are required to sign in at the front office. 

 

Lunch

We are continuing with the universal lunch program. All students have access to free breakfast and lunch in the cafeteria. As always, students can also bring food from home for lunch. Students and Parents are not permitted to use food delivery services such as DoorDash, Uber Eats and the like. Thank you for your understanding. 



Deliveries

From time to time items like homework, musical instruments, lunches, etc. are forgotten at home. Parents can bring the items to the turn around gate up to 9:00 AM or go to the front gate after 9:00 AM and the item(s) will go to the main office. Students can come and pick them up during lunch, passing periods or after school.

 

IDs

Students are required to wear their student ID’s while on campus and at school events. Please make sure your student has their ID with them on Monday. Students without an ID will report to the cafeteria to get one. 

 

Cell Phones

Hercules Middle School is a cell phone free zone from the start of school to the end. This policy is in place to support students in maintaining an academic environment that minimizes distractions. Each classroom this year will have a cell phone locker. Teachers will either have students place the phones in the locker at the start of class or have them place them in their backpacks. The phones should be off in either location. If a student is using a phone during class time the teacher will have them place the phone in the locker or the student will be sent to the office. Lunch and passing periods are also cell phone free times. If a student needs to contact you by cell phone they can come to the main office during lunch or passing periods to make the call from there. EXCEPTIONS- If a student has a documented medical condition that requires their phone for health reasons they will keep their phone on their person. 

 

Upcoming Dates

Friday August 23rd- Welcome back festival

Tuesday August 27th- 6th Grade Desert Luck

Thursday September 12th- Back to School Night

Thursday September 19th- Principals Coffee Chat

 

Once again welcome to the 24-25 School Year. I am looking forward to greeting our students Monday Morning. Have a great weekend and Remember to Stay Titan Strong.