MATHCOUNTS NEWS: Last Saturday the Hockaday MathCounts team, comprised of 10 girls from grades 6, 7, and 8, attended the Dallas Chapter MathCounts competition. Our team roster is as follows:  from sixth grade - Ela Guo; from seventh - Naz Soysal, Ananya Sharma, Hanna Zhang; and from eighth grade - Suzanne Baxter, Kelsey Chen, Kylee Hong, Lynn Jung, Emily Stevenson, and Angelina Wu.

The girls competed in Sprint, Target, and Team Rounds. Four girls advanced to the exciting Countdown Round based on high scores earned during the Sprint and Target rounds: Angelina Wu, Kelsey Chen, Suzanne Baxter, and Lynn Jung. The Countdown competition is an exciting finale where two students at a time are pitted against each other in a “quiz show” format. Angelina Wu made it through four rounds to come in third place overall. Our MathCounts team, comprised of Angelina Wu, Kelsey Chen, Lynn Jung, and Kylee Hong, came in an impressive second place and will advance to the state competition next month. Suzanne Baxter’s individual score earned her a spot at the state competition, and she will advance as well. We would also like to thank Form III’s Elizabeth Guo for her help in helping us get ready for this competition! Coached by Frances Wood and Terry Bourek, the girls represented Hockaday well! We are so proud of you!

EIGHTH GRADE:  You will soon receive an email inviting you to a very important gathering on Tuesday, March 28 at 6:00 p.m. Upper School administrators will speak with eighth grade students and parents regarding the academic program in Upper School.  Each student’s Course Request form for ninth grade will be discussed during eighth grade conferences on Monday, April 3.

SIXTH GRADERS’ LANGUAGE SELECTION FOR SEVENTH GRADE:  Sixth grade parents soon will receive an email packet explaining the process for world language selection for your daughters. The choices broaden in seventh grade to include Spanish, French, and Latin. Students will meet with the teachers of each language on the same day your packet is emailed. Once you receive that information, please return language selection forms to the Middle School Office and/or contact Lisa Camp, World Language Department Chair, if you have questions.

HABITAT FOR HUMANITY: Every year, the Upper School students work together with a family in West Dallas to help build a quality, affordable home through the Habitat for Humanity program. Upper School St. Mark’s and Hockaday students are working together to build this home. The Middle School participates in the program by collecting household goods that will further support the project. Each grade level collects supplies that are delivered as these families begin their lives in new homes. The drive begins on February 27 and runs until March 3. We ask for donations of cleaning supplies (5^th grade), kitchen paper goods and cooking items (sixth grade), kitchen/bath towels and bed sheets (seventh grade), and bath and garden supplies (eighth grade).

MIDDLE SCHOOL TALENT SHOW: Middle School girls signed up for Talent Show auditions this past week. This event has not been on our calendar for the last few years because of scheduling conflicts with our Centennial and then the School’s accreditation visit. It is usually held every other year; we should now be back in our regular rotation. The actual auditions will be held from 3:30-5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, February 28 and Wednesday, March 1. Those auditioning signed up for their date preference. These auditions are closed to all except the faculty sponsors for the event, Rachel Brandt and Darin Jeans, and the Talent Show Committee which is made up of eighth graders who volunteered for this leadership opportunity. Those on the committee will not be performing in the Talent Show.  All decisions by that group will be final. The actual show will be on Friday, March 10 from 1:45-3:15 p.m. right before we begin Spring Break and will be open to parents of the performers as well as all Middle School teachers and students.  

EIGHTH GRADE GRADUATION DRESSES: While our eighth graders have another term to complete before the end of their journey through Middle School, it is not too soon to start thinking about Eighth Grade Graduation on Thursday, May 25.  You’ll receive more details about the event later this spring, but I did want to provide you with requirements for the girls’ dress that day. It is traditional that eighth graders wear white dresses or white skirts and blouses and white shoes to Eighth Grade Graduation. The governing principle at this end-of-year celebration is to dress with modest taste, meaning skirt lengths should be no more than four inches above the knee--no mini-skirts, please. If a dress is strapless or has spaghetti straps/halter top, a sweater or jacket must be worn also. The white is to be a true white, not ivory or off-white, and should not have colored trim. The required white shoes may be sandals but must have a strap around the back of the heel. The heels and soles may not be black or another color, but may be wooden, cork, or metallic.  In addition, adornments on the shoes may not be colored but may be metallic. For comfort and safety reasons, girls must wear flats or heels no higher than two inches. Remember…the girls are walking up and down multiple steps at this graduation ceremony!

UPCOMING EVENTS: Upcoming weeks will include a Black History Assembly for the girls, a One Hockaday event for the faculty and students, and a sixth grade class meeting (I will speak with the girls regarding letter grades and language selection), and the end of the second term. I also am looking forward to a meeting with Fifth Grade parents for a coffee on Thursday, March 2.

My best,