Attention Hamilton Holmes families: Required gym shirts are now available for purchase on MyPaymentsPlus, by cash, or by check for $7. Shirts are required starting NEXT WEEK on 9/8. Any King William Spirit Wear shirt can be used as a gym shirt, but students will have to wear a KW/HHMS shirt to earn full daily gym credit.
6th Grade Field Trip: Look for Permission Slips Due 9/3
Students will be bringing home a permission slip on Monday (today) for a 6th grade science field trip! We know it is a short turnaround, but it is a fantastic opportunity for only $5! If your student needs a bagged lunch at school lunch prices (free and reduced lunch does apply), we need to form back by 9/3 for the cafeteria to prepare. If you need help with the cost of the trip, please contact the bookkeeper, Kathy Britt. We want all students to have the opportunity to participate.
Our 6th graders are heading outdoors for a day of hands-on learning and history at Sandy Point State Forest!
What Students Will Experience
Water Science: Students will explore the natural aquatic area through water sampling, monitoring, and seining along the river’s edge.
Critter Identification: Hands-on macroinvertebrate identification to study the local ecosystem.
Living History: A 17th-century historical interpreter will bring local history to life with captivating stories of King William.
What to Wear & Bring
Footwear (Required): Old tennis shoes or closed-toed water shoes. No flip-flops, sandals, slides, or open-toed shoes are permitted due to safety and the terrain.
Clothing: Wear clothes that can get dirty and potentially wet. We will be working in muddy areas along the water.
Recommended Items: A towel or blanket, a refillable water bottle, and bug spray
Students will be bringing home a permission slip on Monday (today) for a 6th grade science field trip! We know it is a short turnaround, but it is a fantastic opportunity for only $5! If your student needs a bagged lunch at school lunch prices (free and reduced lunch does apply), we need to form back by 9/3 for the cafeteria to prepare. If you need help with the cost of the trip, please contact the bookkeeper, Kathy Britt. We want all students to have the opportunity to participate.
Our 6th graders are heading outdoors for a day of hands-on learning and history at Sandy Point State Forest!
What Students Will Experience
Water Science: Students will explore the natural aquatic area through water sampling, monitoring, and seining along the river’s edge.
Critter Identification: Hands-on macroinvertebrate identification to study the local ecosystem.
Living History: A 17th-century historical interpreter will bring local history to life with captivating stories of King William.
What to Wear & Bring
Footwear (Required): Old tennis shoes or closed-toed water shoes. No flip-flops, sandals, slides, or open-toed shoes are permitted due to safety and the terrain.
Clothing: Wear clothes that can get dirty and potentially wet. We will be working in muddy areas along the water.
Recommended Items: A towel or blanket, a refillable water bottle, and bug spray
Please click the link to read this week's Viking Newsletter. If you have a student at HHMS and did not receive the Newsletter via email , please check your demographic information listed in PowerSchool. Link: https://app.smore.com/n/6en78b
Highlights:
6th Grade Field Trip Announcement
Week Two Instructional Highlights
Highlights:
6th Grade Field Trip Announcement
Week Two Instructional Highlights
The HHMS TILT club is off to a great start! TILT stands for Teens Interacting and Learning Together. Student mentors apply at the end of their 7th grade year to mentor Mrs. Gregory's students during our WIN block each day. TILT mentors need to maintain good grades, have strong teacher recommendations, and write an essay explaining why they want to be in TILT and how they will make an impact with students with different abilities. The students have already started to build friendships and work together on teams! We are excited for all they will accomplish together this year!
Two weeks in, and the creative energy at Hamilton Holmes is off the charts! Here is a peek at the incredible teaching and learning happening in our classrooms every day:
Building Confidence in Math: Ms. Stewart’s Math Lab kicks off learning with thought-provoking prompts that go beyond the textbook. Check out these students reflecting on the real-world question: "Why is it sometimes difficult to ask for help?"
Mastering the Fundamentals: Before picking up their instruments, Mr. Loveless' intermediate band students hit every note of preparation—counting rhythms aloud, tapping toes, clapping beats, and labeling music by hand.
Hands-on Problem Solving: Think you could build a popsicle stick bridge strong enough to hold real weight? Students in Mrs. Ambrose's Design & Modeling are teaming up to test their critical thinking and engineering skills against real-world challenges.
We love seeing our students collaborate, think critically, and grow every day!
Building Confidence in Math: Ms. Stewart’s Math Lab kicks off learning with thought-provoking prompts that go beyond the textbook. Check out these students reflecting on the real-world question: "Why is it sometimes difficult to ask for help?"
Mastering the Fundamentals: Before picking up their instruments, Mr. Loveless' intermediate band students hit every note of preparation—counting rhythms aloud, tapping toes, clapping beats, and labeling music by hand.
Hands-on Problem Solving: Think you could build a popsicle stick bridge strong enough to hold real weight? Students in Mrs. Ambrose's Design & Modeling are teaming up to test their critical thinking and engineering skills against real-world challenges.
We love seeing our students collaborate, think critically, and grow every day!
Grateful shoutout to St. Davis' Episcopal Church for feeding Hamilton Holmes' staff during Teacher Work Week—for the third year in a row! 🙏🍽️ The crew even rode the bus together and enjoyed camaraderie, laughter, and great food. It’s moments like these that remind us how strong our community is ❤️
Meet Ms. Magee - she not only teaches the gifted seminar course, but also teaches 6th and 7th grade Life Science. When the 26-27 school year is completed, she will have completed 20 years in education!
As the gifted coordinator, my role is to serve our students in the gifted program. Students receive services through the gifted seminar course, one-on-one consultations, small group settings, and collaboration with other teachers in the building. When a student is referred for eligibility for services, I administer the gifted tests, evaluate, and the gifted committee determines if a student is eligible for services through the gifted program. The best part of my job is building relationships, learning their interests, and having a general understanding of the student's learning style. I really enjoy watching our students perform in sports, band, chorus, and school dances. When my schedule allows it, I try to attend evening events to support our students.
As the gifted coordinator, my role is to serve our students in the gifted program. Students receive services through the gifted seminar course, one-on-one consultations, small group settings, and collaboration with other teachers in the building. When a student is referred for eligibility for services, I administer the gifted tests, evaluate, and the gifted committee determines if a student is eligible for services through the gifted program. The best part of my job is building relationships, learning their interests, and having a general understanding of the student's learning style. I really enjoy watching our students perform in sports, band, chorus, and school dances. When my schedule allows it, I try to attend evening events to support our students.
Meet Deputy Connors! She has been a law enforcement officer for almost 27 years and has had several completely different roles along the way. Once, she bicycled over 1,000 miles from South Carolina to Washington, DC.
I am the School Resource Officer (SRO) at Hamilton Holmes Middle School. My job is about much more than safety and security. I'm here to build relationships with students, support staff, help students work through challenges, and be someone they know they can come to when they need help. I also work with K9 Kip, our Community Resource dog, who helps us create a positive and supportive environment throughout the school.
The relationships I get to build with students are definitely the best part of my job. I love watching students grow, overcome challenges, gain confidence, and realize that someone believes in them. Sometimes it's the smallest moments- a conversation in the hallway, a student stopping by to talk, or Kip giving high fives- that make the biggest difference. I am looking forward to getting to know our students even better and seeing all the funny, unexpected, and meaningful moments that come with another year at middle school. You never really know what each day is going to bring!
I wish people knew that being an SRO isn't always about having the answers- sometimes it's about being the person willing to listen, figure it out with a student, and stick with them until things get better.
I am the School Resource Officer (SRO) at Hamilton Holmes Middle School. My job is about much more than safety and security. I'm here to build relationships with students, support staff, help students work through challenges, and be someone they know they can come to when they need help. I also work with K9 Kip, our Community Resource dog, who helps us create a positive and supportive environment throughout the school.
The relationships I get to build with students are definitely the best part of my job. I love watching students grow, overcome challenges, gain confidence, and realize that someone believes in them. Sometimes it's the smallest moments- a conversation in the hallway, a student stopping by to talk, or Kip giving high fives- that make the biggest difference. I am looking forward to getting to know our students even better and seeing all the funny, unexpected, and meaningful moments that come with another year at middle school. You never really know what each day is going to bring!
I wish people knew that being an SRO isn't always about having the answers- sometimes it's about being the person willing to listen, figure it out with a student, and stick with them until things get better.
“The best part of my job is working with our students to navigate their new & changing world. I wish people knew how much we truly care about their children, and because of that, our job can be very emotional but also very rewarding!!!”
Ms. Veach is our amazing counseling coordinator for Hamilton Holmes! She works primarily with students with last names starting with A-L. “During the school year, I advocate for students and support them through academic, emotional, and social issues. I also help parents and families navigate through the 'struggles' that come with raising a middle school student. This looks different in every family but often includes helping them find resources in our school and/or community. During the summer, my job looks very different as I start planning the next school year. It involves a lot of screen time and a plethora of spreadsheets. I very much prefer the school year when we have all of our students in the building!”
Every year I look forward to meeting our new 6th graders and seeing the returning students and how much they've grown over the Summer
Her fun fact -right before school started, I got a puppy!!! Her name's Sweetie & it fits!
Curious how summer can spark big growth? Two gifted & talented students attended summer GT programs and returned energized. “The week was a great experience! I didn't want to go home at the end,” one said. “I thought SEE VT was a very fun experience,” said the other. "I had a lot of fun in my classes. I would say that my favorite class was fantasy writing. I did a lot of fun world, character, and plot building. I also took a trails and streams ecology course. I was able to hike and study the health of trails and streams in the area. 🌟
Both students attended the SEE VT program through Virginia Tech's Center for Rural Education. SEE VT is an exciting opportunity for rising 7th and 8th graders living in rural communities. During this one-week residential summer camp on Virginia Tech’s campus, students have the opportunity to learn, examine, and reflect on what it means to live (and thrive) in rural communities!
Both students attended the SEE VT program through Virginia Tech's Center for Rural Education. SEE VT is an exciting opportunity for rising 7th and 8th graders living in rural communities. During this one-week residential summer camp on Virginia Tech’s campus, students have the opportunity to learn, examine, and reflect on what it means to live (and thrive) in rural communities!
Please click the link to read this week's Viking Newsletter. If you have a student at HHMS and did not receive the Newsletter via email , please check your demographic information listed in PowerSchool. Link: https://app.smore.com/n/r87m0
A huge thank you to Gethsemane Church of Christ in Mechanicsville, VA, for their incredibly generous donation of backpacks and school supplies to Hamilton Holmes! 🎒✏️
Thanks to your kindness and support, our students are heading into the new school year feeling confident, prepared, and ready to learn. We are so grateful for amazing community partners like you who invest in our kids' success! 💙📚
Thanks to your kindness and support, our students are heading into the new school year feeling confident, prepared, and ready to learn. We are so grateful for amazing community partners like you who invest in our kids' success! 💙📚
🎉 Welcome back, HHMS Vikings families — we’re so excited to see our halls and classes full of energy again. Whether you’re a returning student or joining us for the first time, here’s to a year of growth, friendships, and big achievements. 📚💫
Meet Nurse Davis, a familiar face to many at HHMS!
As the school nurse, I provide medical care to everyone in my building; however, the students are first and foremost. The beginning of the year is always very hectic for me, as I am responsible for validating all the immunization records for my students. My top priority is making sure that all my 7th graders have had their mandatory immunizations, as well as all the new students. I reach out to all parents whose students' records are incomplete to inform them about the missing immunizations and explain the state law. I provide information to parents about local doctors and other places where immunizations can be received. In addition to that, I receive all the medications and medical supplies, complete medication counts with parents, and make sure the medication dispense forms are completed and signed. I review all the pre-registration forms and document any changes in the student's medical record in PowerSchool, as well as communicating this information to teachers and staff to ensure that my student's medical needs are met. Once the school year is under way, my job includes monitoring and educating my diabetic students, giving medications as prescribed by the doctor, assessing and providing first aid to any student who is injured, providing a listening ear to students who are struggling or dealing with anxiety, calling parents to discuss care plans and to request medication refills, attend 504 meetings to provide medical information and make accommodation suggestions, and finally, I document everything that occurs with my students in their Power School clinic logs every day, and informing parents of visits, as necessary.
The thing I like most about my job is my students. I like to help them be successful! Equipping my students with knowledge about their health and the ways that they can successfully manage their disease or illness empowers them to be the best version of themselves, while achieving their educational goals. Middle school is so challenging! Puberty brings changes physically, emotionally, and socially that many students struggle to manage. Giving them a safe place to know that they are okay, even if things don't feel okay, is so important! Helping them through these middle school years prepares them to face anything!
One thing that I would want others to know about my job is that being the school nurse has changed so much in the last 20 years. As our children's health concerns have become more complicated, so has the job. A lot of people think that all school nurses do is read a book, give ice packs, and put on Band-Aids. They are so wrong! Managing all the chronic health issues of my students takes my full attention every day. Making sure that they get the medication and treatments they need is the most important part of my day. Assessing injuries and illnesses and informing parents to make sure proper care is received takes another big part of my day. Finally, documenting everything that was done that day often keeps me late most days, because that is also an important part of the job. Providing excellent medical care for my students every day and meeting their physical and emotional needs helps me know that I am doing what I can, so that they can be successful.
This year I am looking forward to making connections with my new students, while maintaining connections with my 7th and 8th graders. There are so many new faces in the building: students and staff. I look forward to building relationships with as many as I can, providing positivity and encouragement to all! I know that together we will have a great year! "Together we row! Together we rise!" Go Vikings!
Finally, I would like to share what an honor and privilege it has been to be HHMS's school nurse for the last 24 years! I have been so blessed to be a part of this amazing community of King William! Watching this community's children grow up and become amazing people really blesses my heart! I am now taking care of my former student's children! Working with our children and making sure that they receive the best care has been my heart's desire. I know that having a school nurse in the building makes a positive difference in our students' lives every day! Thank you all for trusting me with your children! They are our future, and our future is bright!
As the school nurse, I provide medical care to everyone in my building; however, the students are first and foremost. The beginning of the year is always very hectic for me, as I am responsible for validating all the immunization records for my students. My top priority is making sure that all my 7th graders have had their mandatory immunizations, as well as all the new students. I reach out to all parents whose students' records are incomplete to inform them about the missing immunizations and explain the state law. I provide information to parents about local doctors and other places where immunizations can be received. In addition to that, I receive all the medications and medical supplies, complete medication counts with parents, and make sure the medication dispense forms are completed and signed. I review all the pre-registration forms and document any changes in the student's medical record in PowerSchool, as well as communicating this information to teachers and staff to ensure that my student's medical needs are met. Once the school year is under way, my job includes monitoring and educating my diabetic students, giving medications as prescribed by the doctor, assessing and providing first aid to any student who is injured, providing a listening ear to students who are struggling or dealing with anxiety, calling parents to discuss care plans and to request medication refills, attend 504 meetings to provide medical information and make accommodation suggestions, and finally, I document everything that occurs with my students in their Power School clinic logs every day, and informing parents of visits, as necessary.
The thing I like most about my job is my students. I like to help them be successful! Equipping my students with knowledge about their health and the ways that they can successfully manage their disease or illness empowers them to be the best version of themselves, while achieving their educational goals. Middle school is so challenging! Puberty brings changes physically, emotionally, and socially that many students struggle to manage. Giving them a safe place to know that they are okay, even if things don't feel okay, is so important! Helping them through these middle school years prepares them to face anything!
One thing that I would want others to know about my job is that being the school nurse has changed so much in the last 20 years. As our children's health concerns have become more complicated, so has the job. A lot of people think that all school nurses do is read a book, give ice packs, and put on Band-Aids. They are so wrong! Managing all the chronic health issues of my students takes my full attention every day. Making sure that they get the medication and treatments they need is the most important part of my day. Assessing injuries and illnesses and informing parents to make sure proper care is received takes another big part of my day. Finally, documenting everything that was done that day often keeps me late most days, because that is also an important part of the job. Providing excellent medical care for my students every day and meeting their physical and emotional needs helps me know that I am doing what I can, so that they can be successful.
This year I am looking forward to making connections with my new students, while maintaining connections with my 7th and 8th graders. There are so many new faces in the building: students and staff. I look forward to building relationships with as many as I can, providing positivity and encouragement to all! I know that together we will have a great year! "Together we row! Together we rise!" Go Vikings!
Finally, I would like to share what an honor and privilege it has been to be HHMS's school nurse for the last 24 years! I have been so blessed to be a part of this amazing community of King William! Watching this community's children grow up and become amazing people really blesses my heart! I am now taking care of my former student's children! Working with our children and making sure that they receive the best care has been my heart's desire. I know that having a school nurse in the building makes a positive difference in our students' lives every day! Thank you all for trusting me with your children! They are our future, and our future is bright!
Big shoutout to our incredible business partners at Horace Mann for fueling the HHMS team! 🍎🙌
Eric Cofer and Terry Hood have always been champions for education, and they proved it once again by treating our Viking staff to a delicious lunch while we work hard getting ready to welcome our students back. To top it off, they kicked off the new school year by giving away a $25 Amazon gift card! 💳✨
Thank you, Horace Mann, for your constant support and for taking such great care of our crew!
Eric Cofer and Terry Hood have always been champions for education, and they proved it once again by treating our Viking staff to a delicious lunch while we work hard getting ready to welcome our students back. To top it off, they kicked off the new school year by giving away a $25 Amazon gift card! 💳✨
Thank you, Horace Mann, for your constant support and for taking such great care of our crew!
HHMS will open its doors for students at 7:45 am and begin dismissing students at 3:05 pm daily.
For student drop-off and pick-up:
Cars should enter the northeast parking lot.
If traffic starts to back up on Route 30, parents should make a double line to wait until in the parking lot to avoid traffic concerns on the main highways. This usually only happens in the afternoon for the first few weeks of school.
Cars should be in a single-file line in front of the school.
Student drop-off and pick-up should only occur in front of the main school entrance.
When exiting the lot, cars travelling west towards Central Garage should use the left exit lane. Cars heading west towards West Point should be in the right lane.
Students who walk from and to the elementary or primary school:
These students are required to remain on the sidewalk at all times to ensure their safety.
For student drop-off and pick-up:
Cars should enter the northeast parking lot.
If traffic starts to back up on Route 30, parents should make a double line to wait until in the parking lot to avoid traffic concerns on the main highways. This usually only happens in the afternoon for the first few weeks of school.
Cars should be in a single-file line in front of the school.
Student drop-off and pick-up should only occur in front of the main school entrance.
When exiting the lot, cars travelling west towards Central Garage should use the left exit lane. Cars heading west towards West Point should be in the right lane.
Students who walk from and to the elementary or primary school:
These students are required to remain on the sidewalk at all times to ensure their safety.
Welcome Sixth Graders! Our incoming class kicked off the day together, learning the ropes and hearing their very first announcements from our Student Council Association. From there, students jumped into action—practicing how to navigate their brand-new A/B schedules and finding each classroom like pros.
After working up an appetite, everyone reconnected in the cafeteria for a delicious lunch together. We wrapped up our exciting day by bringing the energy for the Viking Row and practicing getting quiet when we use our hand signals. They did so well that the SCA representative gave each student a positive behavior reward!
Our 6th graders did an outstanding job, and their positive energy set the tone for an incredible year ahead. We are so proud of them and can't wait for a fantastic school year!
After working up an appetite, everyone reconnected in the cafeteria for a delicious lunch together. We wrapped up our exciting day by bringing the energy for the Viking Row and practicing getting quiet when we use our hand signals. They did so well that the SCA representative gave each student a positive behavior reward!
Our 6th graders did an outstanding job, and their positive energy set the tone for an incredible year ahead. We are so proud of them and can't wait for a fantastic school year!
Hamilton Holmes Community, meet our principal—Dr. Weidle!
Bringing 21 years of educational excellence, Dr. Weidle works tirelessly to ensure our school is a safe, supportive space where every child can shine. Her leadership philosophy is simple yet powerful: when we all row together, we will rise together and achieve great feats!
When she’s not leading our school, she’s bringing championship energy—she was once ranked 4th in the world as a professional female disc golfer!
Bringing 21 years of educational excellence, Dr. Weidle works tirelessly to ensure our school is a safe, supportive space where every child can shine. Her leadership philosophy is simple yet powerful: when we all row together, we will rise together and achieve great feats!
When she’s not leading our school, she’s bringing championship energy—she was once ranked 4th in the world as a professional female disc golfer!
Parents/guardians: Want a schedule change for your student? ✏️ All requests must be submitted using this form — students cannot request changes themselves. Counselors will review each request and will do their best to accommodate, but not every class can be changed. Click the link here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe2UdYEuxWHB5akxmqYrUoCb5QKraHcNd70bcOum0jMIvw-2g/viewform
Next up in our Who’s Who at Hamilton Holmes is Ms. Marek, our counselor for students with last names M-Z! Ms. Marek is an advocate for students and supports them academically, personally, and with planning for their future. She also supports teachers and is a liaison for parents, matching their needs with resources available in our community and schools. She believes the best part of her job is helping people! I am a problem solver every day, and I love helping people! Her fun fact: she played two Division 1 college sports- soccer and volleyball.
What is one thing you wish people knew about your job? Some days are really tough emotionally when I’m helping students and parents through a crisis. It’s both humbling and rewarding to be able to help them through it.
What are you looking forward to the most this year? It’s my 30th year as a school counselor, and every year I get excited about getting to know and working with all of the students!
What is one thing you wish people knew about your job? Some days are really tough emotionally when I’m helping students and parents through a crisis. It’s both humbling and rewarding to be able to help them through it.
What are you looking forward to the most this year? It’s my 30th year as a school counselor, and every year I get excited about getting to know and working with all of the students!
