Hutchinson Public Schools

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How to Help Prevent the Summer Slide

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By Brenda Vatthauer, Principal, Hutchinson Middle School

Preventing summer slide is important in middle school because it can help students maintain the academic skills and knowledge they have gained throughout the school year. Without regular practice and engagement with academic subjects, students can experience a significant loss of learning over the summer break, which can set them back when they return to school in the fall. This can result in lower academic achievement, decreased motivation, and a lack of confidence in their abilities. Here are some strategies that can help prevent middle school academic summer slide:

    1. Encourage Reading: Encourage your middle school student to read for pleasure during the summer break. This can help them maintain their reading skills and build their vocabulary. Consider setting up a reading challenge or visiting the local library regularly. Identify high interest books of both fiction and non-fiction.
    2. Keep learning Active: Encourage your child to engage in activities that promote active learning, such as puzzles, games and educational apps. This can help them maintain their cognitive skills and prevent the summer slide.
    3. Review Previous Material: Encourage your child to review previous material from the school year. This can help reinforce their learning and prevent them from forgetting important concepts.
    4. Enroll in Summer Programs: Consider enrolling your child in a summer program that focuses on academic subjects, such as math or science. This can help them stay engaged with learning.
    5. Tutoring Sessions: Consider enrolling your child in a tutoring program during the summer break. A tutor can help them review material from the previous school year and stay ahead of the game for the upcoming academic year.
    6. Summer Camps: Consider enrolling your child in a summer camp that focuses on academic subjects. This can provide a fun and engaging way for them to continue learning during the summer break. Attending Achievement Camp at HMS is also a great way to review and extend previous learning from the past school year. Also, TigerPath Middle School Camps on Manufacturing and Careers are held in June.
    7. Travel: Traveling can be a great way to learn new things and experience different cultures. Consider taking your child on educational trips, such as visiting historical landmarks or museums.

By using some or all of the strategies, you can help prevent middle school academic summer slide and set your child up for success when they return to school in the fall. Be sure to check out the Community Education brochure for more activities and summer engagement programs. Students can continue to build on their academic progress, stay engaged with learning and be better prepared for success in the upcoming school year.

 

 

The World of Artificial Intelligence

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What Parents Need to Know
about the World of Artificial Intelligence

By Jocelynn Buckentin, Technology Innovation Specialist

For many, the concept of artificial intelligence (AI) has played out on movie screens for decades, but this technology has recently become more prevalent in our daily lives. AI chatbots have taken center stage as ChatGPT and Snapchat’s My AI become popular. Chatbots work by using natural language processing to both understand and respond to human language. As this technology rapidly evolves, many people have mixed emotions about its potential impact on our society, particularly in the areas of education, health and safety, and the workforce.

In education, AI chatbots have the potential to complete everything from short answer questions to longer papers with the click of a button. However, educators are concerned about how this technology will affect important skills like critical thinking and creativity. Parents can help by asking students about how they use chatbots and reinforcing the creative process when completing schoolwork. This doesn’t necessarily mean avoiding AI completely. In fact, I encourage my own students to utilize chatbots to get feedback on their work prior to submitting it. AI chatbots can help to improve student writing and provide detailed and timely feedback, which can help to make our students better writers. Teachers continue to explore the potential pros and cons of AI use in education alongside their students.

In terms of health and safety, AI chatbots like Snapchat’s My AI can be customized with their own profile picture and brought into conversations and group chats, blurring the line between talking to a human vs. a computer. At Hutchinson High School, teachers have noticed students talking about chatting with “Al” or “My Al,” so we know the technology is here and currently in use. While the bot is designed to be harmless, parents need to be aware of their children’s use of this feature and have a discussion about expectations surrounding its use. It is especially important to emphasize the importance of keeping personal information out of AI-powered systems.

The advancement of AI technology may also lead to changes in the workforce, as jobs traditionally held by humans can now be completed by chatbots. However, new jobs will also be developed relating to this new technology, so it is vital to keep up with these changes in order to help guide students to future career paths that they may be interested in.

To prepare children for the world of AI, parents can start by discussing what AI is and is not, encouraging children to ask questions and share areas in their lives where chatbots are in use. By opening up a dialogue about AI, children will be more likely to approach parents with questions and concerns as the technology advances. It’s also important to discuss the pros and cons of AI usage and emphasize responsibility. Parents can teach children to be aware of the information they share online, as well as the potential good and bad of AI usage. Finally, parents can remind children of the importance of human connections and interpersonal relationships, as chatbots may be efficient and convenient, but nothing can replace meaningful relationships with others.​

Enjoy Hutchinson this Summer!

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Get out, get active, and enjoy Hutchinson this summer!
By Lynn Neumann, Director of Parks, Recreation and Community Education

It’s no secret that children today spend more time inside than ever before. Between screen time and sedentary activities, it can be challenging to encourage children to get outside and be active. However, research has shown that spending time outside and being active has numerous benefits for children’s physical and mental health.

One of the primary benefits of being active outdoors is the positive impact it has on a child’s physical health. Regular physical activity can help to reduce the risk of childhood obesity, strengthen their bones and muscles, and improve their overall health and fitness levels. Outdoor activities can also enhance children’s motor skills, coordination, and balance, all of which are essential for healthy physical development.

Spending time in nature has also been shown to have significant mental health benefits for children. Being outdoors and surrounded by green spaces can reduce stress, anxiety, and depression. It can also improve their mood, boost their self-esteem, and increase their creativity and imagination. Encouraging kids to spend time outside and be active can also help to foster their social skills and build their confidence.

Encouraging children to spend time outside and be active doesn’t have to be difficult or complicated. Simple activities like going for a bike ride, playing in the park, hiking, or even having a picnic in a park can be great ways to get children moving and enjoying the outdoors. Hutchinson has 41 city parks that offer a variety of amenities and a vast trails system for everyone to enjoy!

There are also plenty of organized outdoor activities, such as sports teams or outdoor camps, that can help kids build their confidence and social skills while being active. PRCE Summer activity registration is currently open. To register, visit us online at www.hutchinsonprce.com, call the PRCE office at 320-587-2975 or stop in at the Recreation Center office. Please note that PRCE did implement a new registration system. Participants may need to create a new login to register for programs and facilities. Our goal is for everyone to have a summer filled with fun and safe programs and activities!

By encouraging kids to spend time in nature and participate in outdoor recreational activities, we can help them to develop healthy habits, build their self-esteem and social skills, and enhance their overall well-being. Let’s prioritize our children’s physical and mental health by getting them outside, being active, and enjoying the beautiful world around us. Hutchinson PRCE is dedicated to ensuring that every child has an opportunity to experience outstanding recreational activities and programs that enhance our quality of life by helping us stay healthy and fit, build relationships with family and friends, and develop a sense of community pride.

Get out, get active, and enjoy Hutchinson this summer!

 

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Information for eLearning Days for Hutchinson Middle School

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Here you will find some general information for Hutchinson Middle School eLearning days.

We will follow the same 2-hr late schedule for the 2/22/23 and 2/23/23 e-learning days, classes will start @ 9:35 am.

Please review the video below regarding how an eLearning day at HMS will look like and work

HMS eLearning Day Video

Spanish Verison HMS eLearning Day

Also, we will run our 2-hour late schedule for eLearning Days, please click below for the period schedule;  2 hour late schedule HMS 22-23 – Period Schedule – Updated 082322

 

Engaging in Reflective Conversations

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By Mike McDowell, Assistant Principal, Hutchinson Middle School 

As we move into the second trimester of our 2022-23 school year and reflect on our students’ success or possible areas of improvement, it’s important for us as parents and mentors to collaboratively engage with our children in reflective conversations. Within these discussions, we can discuss areas that we feel are going well or need improvement. Reflection is a skill that many of us tend to forget about, due to the fast pace of life, school and work. Although this takes time, it’s an incredibly important part of working with our children and teens. These conversations encourage them to reflect on skills and habits that will help them as they mature into young adults.

Reflective conversations start with an open mindset and honesty. They must be handled with care and at times, our children and teens may not seem ready. None-the-less, their importance is invaluable. Some conversations and topics might be easier to approach than others, depending on the topic. In this article, I’d like to propose several topics or habits to reflect on with middle school students, but these could be adjusted for any age. These topics include promoting healthy peer relationships, healthy technology and social media use, and encouraging a growth mindset to overcome challenges.

Students at the middle school level (ages 11-14) are often met with the challenges of managing a variety of friends in their social circles. Many of these peer relationships take place in person and on social media. As students move into their middle school years, they may continue to spend time with past peers from former years, or may meet new friends. As parents, it’s important to note that this is a normal part of growth, but it’s also important to have a good sense of who your child or teen is spending time with in and out of school. Regularly opening the door to the reflective conversation about friends with your child and talking with other friends’ parents may provide insight into their friendships. In addition, if your child or teen has or uses social media, being in tune with their online friends or habits can encourage positive experiences and can help mitigate unhealthy behavior choices. This leads us to the next reflective conversation topic, which focuses on healthy technology and social media use.

Tech Expert Dave Eisenmann states that parents with children and teens who engage with social media regularly, should talk with their kids often about their social media use. It is suggested that parents start slowly with social media use and gradually release independence to their kids, similar to first riding a bike as a child. Parents with students of all ages and experiences, especially those with children who have their own personal devices, are encouraged to outline basic expectations for their use and consequences for when expectations aren’t being met. Setting boundaries and limits on social media use can be a proactive step in encouraging healthy online habits. According to Eisenmann, parents should be a part of your child’s social media life by checking in often and should feel empowered to intervene if they feel like boundaries are being pressed.

The final reflective topic I’ll reference when talking with children and teens, is the use of a growth mindset. As our children and teens grow and face a variety of challenges, their grit and resilience is continually being tested. As adults, we understand that set-backs occur and have a more fine-tuned ability to have perspective when working through challenges. For children and teens, this mindset is still being refined. Helping your child see the big picture in any situation, gain perspective and view themselves as individuals who can overcome hard things, can help them gain insight into their own strengths and weaknesses. This in-turn can continue to promote reflective thinking and continuous improvement for their future.

Reflective conversations allow us to get a glimpse into our children’s lives and offer them a chance to confide in an adult about a variety of important topics. By engaging in these topics and modeling the habit of taking time to reflect, we as adults can continue to find opportunities to guide and promote continuous improvement with our youth.

 

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Middle School

1365 South Grade Road SW
Hutchinson, MN 55350
320-587-2854
Fax: 320-587-2857
Staff Contact Information

Park Elementary

100 Glen Street SW
Hutchinson, MN 55350
320-587-2837
Fax: 320-587-4821
Staff Contact Information

District

30 Glen Street NW
Hutchinson, MN 55350
320-587-2860
Fax: 320-587-4590
Staff Contact Information

High School

1200 Roberts Road
Hutchinson, MN 55350
320-587-2151
Fax: 320-587-8217
Staff Contact Information

West Elementary

875 School Road SW
Hutchinson, MN 55350
320-587-4470
Fax: 320-587-0735
Staff Contact Information

Tiger Elementary

805 School Road SW
Hutchinson, MN 55350
Phone: 320-587-1122
Fax: 855-574-0782

Staff Contact Information