HMS Update
Dear HMS parents, guardians, and caregivers,
Welcome to spring! The past few weeks have been packed full of learning activities and joy. Our students and staff showed lots of spirit during our Spirit Week, and we celebrated a new rock, paper, scissor champion: Reid Sylvester!
Our next HMS Update will be shared on April 11, 2025. Thank you for your continued partnership and support. Be in touch with any questions or concerns.
With Gratitude,
Mandy Lewis and Tom McDowell
HMS Administrative Team
Hello and happy Spring!
With the weather improving and spring break around the corner, we wanted to focus this month’s Counselors’ Corner on the importance of play.
“Playfulness can be just the thing to shift out of conflict, pushback, and disconnection—creating instead an environment where your child can let go of their own fears and frustrations and step into more playful motivation to work with you.”
-The Way of Play, Dr. Tina Payne Bryson & Georgie Vincent
Play is more than an opportunity to have fun and bond together; it actually fosters better behavior. When children are in a regulated state, they are far more likely to engage in positive, prosocial behaviors (you know the ones you are desperately trying to teach them!), including following instructions, managing impulses, and navigating conflicts. Play activates the social engagement part of the nervous system (aka ventral vagal state), which is all about social connection. When children are playing, their brains are open to learning and relating to others in a positive way. Behavior challenges often stem from dysregulation, anxiety, or a lack of connection. Play addresses all of these by helping children feel safe, connected, and emotionally regulated.
As a further benefit, engaging with your child in playful ways activates the same cues of safety for your nervous system as it does for theirs. When you are in a regulated state, it is easier to be present and available for connecting with your child. This primes their brain to receive your guidance. This is co-regulation at its core: one person helping another manage their emotions and behaviors through support, modeling, and coaching.
Go play!
Adapted from The Regulated Classroom, Emily Read Daniels
As always, please reach out at any time with any questions or concerns you may have.
Catherine Nein - School Counselor, catherine_nein@yarmouthschools.org
Chelsea Collupy - Social Worker, chelsea_collupy@yarmouthschools.org
Sam Durham - Social Worker, samantha_durham@yarmouthschools.org
We can also be reached by calling the main office phone 207-846-2499.
HMS Sports will begin the week of April 7th for our 7th and 8th graders. You should receive a welcome notification from your coach within the next week with schedules, equipment lists, and expectations. Game schedules can be found here by selecting the specific team on the right-hand side. Coaches will schedule an informational session after the first practice at pick-up to answer any questions families may have. GO CLIPPERS!
2025-2026 PTO ROLES
Are you looking to get more involved with the PTO during the next school year? Our annual elections are coming up and we're actively seeking board members, committee chairs, and volunteers! Board members are elected positions, and elections will be held at the PTO meeting on May 15th at 7pm in the YES library.
We anticipate the following openings:
Treasurer
Parent Education Coordinator
Volunteer Coordinator
If you're a caretaker of a student in the Yarmouth school system, you're automatically a part of the PTO and eligible to run for any seat. There is no deadline for nominations; you may decide to run at any time up until the moment of voting at our board meeting on May 15th. Any Yarmouth resident can vote, and all are welcome and encouraged to attend!
Committee membership is another great way to be involved in the community. We're seeking chairs (or co-leadership) for the Glow Run committee and the Staff Appreciation committee, as well as committee members for any and all events and fundraisers.
If you're interested in any capacity, from leadership roles to one-time event volunteering, please fill out this form and we will be in touch. We hope you'll join us!
If you have further questions about PTO involvement, please don't hesitate to reach out directly at yarmouthpto04096@gmail.com. We look forward to hearing from you!
SAVE THE DATE FOR THE BIKE SWAP: MAY 10TH
The PTO is gearing up for our annual used bike sale with an expanded outdoor family event focused on bike safety education from the Bicycle Coalition of Maine. If you have outgrown bikes hanging around, donate or sell them at the bike swap!
-Drop-off for used bikes and gear to sell is FRIDAY, MAY 9TH from 5:30 to 8 pm at Rowe
-Buy a bike & join the fun on SATURDAY, MAY 10TH from 9 am to 12 pm at Rowe
LAST CALL FOR PRINTED DIRECTORIES
Get ready for summer playdates and camp carpooling by picking up a copy of the PTO directory! It's the fastest way to find the contact info for your child's classmate or playground buddy. The directory is always available electronically through Membership Toolkit, but we're offering one final print run of the year if you prefer a hard copy. Click here to place an order.
JOIN US AT THE APRIL PTO MEETING
It will be held on Thursday, April 10th at 7 pm in the YES library. All are welcome & we'd love to have you join the conversation!
WANT TO KEEP IN TOUCH?
Click here, scroll down to “Join Our Email List" on the right hand side, fill out your information, and never miss a piece of PTO news!
COMMUNITY DISCUSSION ON APRIL 7TH
Don't miss the community-wide discussion around the book The Disengaged Teen: Helping Kids Learn Better, Feel Better, and Live Better by Jenny Anderson and Rebecca Winthrop. Despite the word "teen" in the title, the topics are applicable throughout the school years, exploring how we can help our children become flexible, motivated learners that are prepared to navigate uncertainty and succeed in the 21st century.
There's no need to have read the book ahead of time, attended the first two sessions, or even RSVP! Just show up, bring your friends, and be ready for a lively conversation as we ponder these questions: How could we move forward utilizing these teaching methods? What would it mean for Yarmouth Schools and Yarmouth Parents?
The discussion will take place in the YHS cafeteria from 6:00 to 7:30 pm. We hope to see you there!
For additional resources, see these links:
The Disengaged Teen: Website
PBS interview with authors: Amanpour & Co. (18:30)
The Self-Driven Child Podcast: The Disengaged Teen, Part I (35:00), The Disengaged Teen, Part II (37:00)
Royal River Books has offered a 10% off discount for copies of the book! Yarmouth PTO also has a handful of copies. If you would like to borrow one, send us an email at yarmouthpto04096@gmail.com
Thank you for the donations to benefit the Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland! The van picked up all donations today, and our school has provided lots of pet food, toys, and amenities. Well done, HMS!
This summer, sign your young teen/pre-teen up to Get Out and GO! YCS has added a middle school day trip camp to the summer program list! Available for rising 6th-8th graders, Get Out and Go! – Middle School Day Trip Camp will run M-Th, 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM for the month of July (6/30-7/31). Each day your middle schooler will meet at HMS and embark on a different adventure – lakes, beaches, hiking, adventure/amusement parks, etc! Research shows middle schoolers still need adequate adult supervision and what better way to get them out and off their screens then spending the day adventuring with their friends! You can find more info at yarmouthcommunityservices.com under Summer Camps, or scan the QR code below! We hope to see you there!
Dates to Date:
April 3: HMS Battle of the Books 6-7:30pm
April 7: The Disengaged Teen Community Book Discussion Part Three - 6-7:30pm at YHS
April 11: HMS Dance 6:30-8pm
April 18-27: April vacation - no school