HMS Update

#6: October 24, 2025

Dear HMS parents, guardians, and caregivers, Our students are preparing for our One Book, One School event by reading Medusa: The Myth of Monsters. Author Katherine Marsh will be visiting HMS on Thursday, November 6, and our students will have an opportunity to speak with her about her work and her profession. We are grateful for this opportunity and for the PTO for helping us fund this school-wide event! Our next HMS Update will be shared on November 7, 2025. Please be in touch with any questions. Thank you for your partnership! With Gratitude, Mandy Lewis and Tom McDowell HMS Administrative Team
graduates

Attendance Nugget

Being at school is important because consistent attendance helps them:

  • Build strong academic skills by keeping up with lessons and assignments.

  • Develop good habits like responsibility and time management.

  • Engage socially, making friends and learning teamwork.

  • Access important resources like support from teachers and counselors.

  • Prepare better for future opportunities such as higher education and careers.

Regular attendance sets a foundation for success both in school and beyond! The habits students have now will have a lasting impact on their future success.

candy buy back
food pantry
Click here for the full form.

Project Holiday, Thanksgiving Meal Request, and SNAP Benefits

The Project Holiday Committee is preparing for their annual event, and we are excited to share the 2025 application form for Yarmouth families in need of assistance during the holiday season. Please find the form linked HERE. Applications will be accepted through Wednesday, November 5. All completed forms should be dropped off at Yarmouth Community Services or at HMS.

Please see the linked image for families needing assistance with the Thanksgiving meal this year. Note that the deadline is Friday, November 14. The forms can either be returned to Catherine Nein at HMS, or they can be scanned and emailed to Diane McCormick at dianemc5@outlook.com. With questions, either email Diane or contact the Yarmouth Food Pantry at 207-844-3320.

There has been recent news updates regarding SNAP benefits and the possibility of benefits ending in November 2025. If your family experiences a loss of SNAP benefits and you are in need of assistance, please reach out directly to Catherine Nein through email (catherine_nein@yarmouthschools.org) or by phone 207-846-2499.

school

October 29, 2025 - Student Half Day (reminder)

Please note that Wednesday, October 29th, is a half day of school for students with a dismissal of 11:30 am. Students will have the option of grabbing a bagged lunch when they leave.

PTO News

'Tis (almost) the season

If your family typically sends out holiday cards, we have exciting news to share! We are partnering with Minted this year to offer you a discount on your annual cards while also raising money for the PTO-- a win-win! 

Here's how it works: Use the promo code FUNDRAISEYARMOUTH at checkout and receive a 20% discount on your order. Minted will then donate 10% of the sales earned using the code back to us! 

Please feel free to share the code with friends and family to help us raise even more. The promo code will also remain active year-round, so you can use it for weddings, birth announcements, and so much more while continuing to support the PTO. 

Our code is specific to our organization, and we ask that you please don’t use coupon sites like Honey or RetailMeNot to share it, as that could affect our donations.

We hope you're as excited about this new opportunity as we are! Our personal favorite Minted feature is that it can even address all of your envelopes for you -- a valuable time-saver during an extremely busy season! 

Thanks, as always, for all of your support! 

PTO
staff appreciation

PTO Fall Staff Appreciation

We have been asked to forward the following message from the PTO:

We are extremely fortunate to have wonderful staff at our schools working hard every day for our kids. On November 5th at YES and HMS and November 7th at Rowe, we are celebrating Fall Staff Appreciation Days. The PTO, along with help from the community, will be hosting a lunch for the staff members at all three schools.


If you are able to bring in a homemade or store-bought item to donate, please click below to sign up:

YES on Wednesday, November 5th:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0B48AFAE2BAAFAC34-59315975-yesstaff

HMS on Wednesday, November 5th:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0B48AFAE2BAAFAC34-59248881-hmsstaff

Rowe on Friday, November 7th:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0B48AFAE2BAAFAC34-59316050-rowe

We know there are many ways to show appreciation for our teachers and staff, and we encourage you to make our teachers feel the love on November 5th and November 7th, however you can!

If a financial contribution makes sense for your family, please consider clicking here: https://givebutter.com/WdRX5M

Direct donations are always appreciated and are crucial in funding PTO programming. 

 Thank you for your support!

Yarmouth Pre-K - 8 PTO

College night
Click the flyer for tickets.

HMS is hiring!

Are you interested, or do you know someone who may be interested, in working in a fun, collaborative environment with middle school students and educators? We are searching for an educator to join us as an Educational Technician III. To learn more about the position and consider an application, visit this website. HMS is a great place to spend time with students!

students reading

8th Grade Parents and Caregivers

Dear 8th-grade parents and caregivers, 

Janice Medenica wanted to share that there are still a few spots available for the Iceland June 2026 trip if your child is interested, or if you know someone who might be interested in joining us! You can find all information, including cost and payment plans, on the HMS Clipper Trippers website here.

Dates to Date:

Wednesday, October 29: students dismissed at 11:30 am

Tuesday, November 11: no school - Veteran's Day