Hill Gustat Middle School

📚 Important Media Center Update
Families, please be aware of a change to our library book renewal procedures at Hill-Gustat Middle School.

Effective immediately:

Library books are due two weeks after checkout or by the stamped due date.

Students must physically bring their books to the Media Center to renew them. Books can no longer be renewed without being presented.

Students with overdue books must bring those books in before checking out additional books.

Good news about overdue fines! If a student returns an overdue book in good condition, the associated overdue fines will be removed. This includes books checked out from HGMS or other schools within our district.

🔎 Want to check your student's account?

Parents can view checked-out books, due dates, and any other school fines (ID badges/Chromebook) by visiting:

https://destiny.highlands.k12.fl.us

Log in using the same username and password used for Skyward.

Our goal is to keep books circulating and encourage students to continue reading! We appreciate families helping students return or renew their books on time. 📖

📣 8th Grade Parent Meeting 🦅

We invite our 8th grade families to join us for an informational meeting about fundraising for our upcoming 8th Grade Trip to Busch Gardens and 8th Grade Dance!

📅 Monday, November 16th
🕓 4:45 PM
📍 HGMS Media Center

During this meeting, we will share our planned fundraising activities and discuss how we can work together to make these end-of-year experiences memorable and affordable for our students.

Our next PTO/SAC meeting is TODAY at 5:15 PM in the Media Center! Join us as we discuss upcoming events, fundraising, and ways to support our Eagles. Your voice matters, and we’d love to see you there!

👻 Scares, snacks, and screams! Join the HGMS Cheer Team for our October Lock-In on Friday, October 30, from 3:15–5:00 PM!

🎟️ Tickets are $5, available on the patio starting October 26.
✅ Students must have no referrals and no outstanding fines to attend.
🍿 Bring extra money for spooky snacks and drinks!

Get ready for a frightfully fun afternoon! 🎃

🦅 8th Grade Families — Save the Dates! We’re excited to share two special events we have planned for our 8th graders! Please keep in mind that these dates are being shared for planning purposes only. We are still working through the details, and many of our plans will depend on the success of our fundraising efforts. Our goal is to make these experiences memorable, fun, and as affordable as possible for our families! We could also use our community’s help! If you own a business or know of a business that would be interested in contributing to our 8th grade events, please contact the school. Every contribution helps us create something special for our students! More information will be shared as plans are finalized. Thank you for helping us make their final year at HGMS one to remember!

🏈🦅 Calling all Eagles! We’re looking to bring 7-on-7 Flag Football to the Nest this January! Boys and girls are welcome to join the fun! 📅 Informational Meeting: Thursday, October 29, at 6 PM in the Commons. 📣 See graphic for more information! #EaglePride #JoinTheNest

🏀🦅 IT’S ALMOST BASKETBALL SEASON, EAGLES! Our 2026–2027 basketball schedule is here! Mark your calendars and get ready to cheer on our boys and girls as they hit the court! 📅 First Game: Tuesday, November 3, at HOME against Avon Park! 🏀 Girls play first, followed by the boys. Let’s pack the stands and show our EAGLE PRIDE! #EaglePride #HGMSBasketball

⏰ Early Release Reminder! Eagles, don’t forget! Students will be dismissed at 1:15 PM TODAY, Thursday, October 15. 🦅

🏀 ATTENTION, FUTURE EAGLE HOOPERS! We’ve had to make a few changes to our basketball tryout schedule! Please take a moment to review the UPDATED dates and times below. 🏀 BOYS BASKETBALL 📅 October 14–15 ⏰ 5:30–7:30 PM 🏀 GIRLS BASKETBALL 📅 October 15 | 1:30–3:30 PM 📅 October 16 | 3:30–5:30 PM 📣 IMPORTANT: Athletes must attend at least ONE tryout day to be considered for the team. Please help us spread the word so everyone has the correct information! 💙💛 GO EAGLES! 🦅🏀

🦅 The clock is ticking, Eagles!

Quarter 1 officially ends TOMORROW, Friday, October 9!

📚 As of Monday, HGMS had 2,174 missing assignments! Parents and guardians, please take a moment to check your student's grades and encourage them to submit any outstanding work before the grading period closes.

💻 Important Reminder: Paper report cards will NOT be sent home this quarter. Families must access Skyward through the browser version to review grades and Teacher's Log entries.

Let's finish Quarter 1 strong!

🦅 HGMS Spirit Wear is coming your way!

Our online Spirit Wear Store opens October 5! Stock up on Hill-Gustat gear and show your Eagle Pride with shirts, hoodies, pullovers, polos, and more.

🛍️ Shop here: HGMS Spirit Wear Store
🔑 Access Code: RaBAvQYGVK
📅 Store Open: October 5–23

Be sure to order by October 23. No orders can be accepted after the deadline.

📜 Bringing history to life! Miss Rendel’s Civics students stepped into the past with a Reader’s Theatre about the writing of the Magna Carta. Students are tracing the principles that continue to shape our government today—including rule of law, limited government, and individual rights. Learning about civics doesn’t have to stay in a textbook! Our students had fun bringing these big ideas to life while discovering how the Magna Carta helped influence the foundations of the US government. 🏛️📚

THURSDAY THROWDOWN is coming! On Thursday, October 8, every student in attendance will get ONE chance to nail a school administrator with a water balloon! 🎈 💦 Mrs. Goudge and Mr. Ward are ready… or at least we think they are. 😏 📅 Thursday, October 8 🎈 One student. One balloon. One shot. ✅ You MUST be in attendance that day to participate! Who’s got good aim? 👀🎯 #ThursdayThrowdown #EaglePride #JoinTheNest #AttendanceMatters

📚 Quarter 1 is coming to a close! Parents and guardians, as you review your student’s grades in Skyward, be sure to check for the book! If a teacher has entered a Teacher’s Log entry, a small book icon will appear next to that class. 📄 Please note: Paper report cards will not be sent home for Quarter 1. Grades and Quarter 1 information should be reviewed through Skyward. Teacher’s Log entries document communication regarding student behavior and work habits. You may see a book beside some classes or none at all. 💻 Remember: You’ll need to access Skyward through the browser version to view Teacher’s Log entries. Stay informed and help your Eagle finish Quarter 1 strong! 🦅

📱 Social Media Parent Series #5: Cyberbullying Doesn’t End When School Ends

Online interactions can follow students long after the school day is over. Hurtful messages, rumors, and exclusion can have a very real impact.

Talk with your child about what they’re experiencing online, encourage them to speak up when something isn’t right, and remind them that blocking, reporting, and saving evidence are important steps.

💙💛 Be kind online and offline. Eagles look out for each other. 🦅

🏀 Basketball Tryouts are coming up at The Nest!

🔵 Boys Basketball Tryouts
📅 October 14 & 15
⏰ 5:30–7:30 PM
Boys do NOT need to attend both nights but must attend at least one night to be considered.

🟡 Girls Basketball Tryouts
📅 October 19 & 20
⏰ 3:30–5:30 PM
Girls MUST attend both nights to be considered.

Come ready to work and show us what you’ve got! Go Eagles! 🦅🏀

📱 “Just five more minutes” can turn into much more.

Recognizing the warning signs is an important step toward helping students build healthier digital habits.

Healthy habits today. Brighter tomorrows. 💙💛

#HGMSParentConnection #SocialMediaParentSeries #DigitalWellness #EaglePride

Social media often shows the highlight reel—not the whole story. Filters, likes, and carefully selected moments can make it easy for young people to compare their everyday lives to someone else’s carefully curated feed.

A simple reminder can make a difference: What you see online isn’t always real life. 💙💛

Helping our Eagles build healthy digital habits starts with honest conversations at home.

#HGMSParentConnection #SocialMediaParentSeries #HealthyDigitalHabits #EaglePride

📱💤 Their scroll can wait. Sleep can’t. Healthy digital habits at bedtime can make a big difference. Help your child unplug, recharge, and get the rest they need! 💙💛

#HGMS #ParentConnection #HealthyDigitalHabits

Social Media and the Middle School Brain: Their brains are still developing. Their digital habits are too.