Get Involved!!!

The start of the school year is a great time for both new and returning students to get involved in the many activities that are taking place at Henley.  Here's a sampling of some ways kids can get involved:

• The Outdoor/Environmental Club--Stop by the library to pick up more information.  This club takes multiple trips throughout the year and also leads the school in our recycling and environmental efforts.  The first hike is next Friday, so make sure you get information soon!
• Math Counts--For those of you who love a challenging math problem--this is the place for you!  Pick up information from Mrs. Merrill if you would like to take part in this activity.
• Destination Imagination--An informational meeting will take place on September 20 for any student interested in becoming part of a DI team.  Henley's teams have been quite successful in the past, and students love the challenges that DI presents them.  See Mrs. Merrill for more information!
• ETB49--This is our morning enrichment program that offers a number of activities for our students.  See Mrs. Pehanick for more information

I think that at Henley, we've got something for just about everyone.  I strongly believe that students who are involved in activities such as these turn into some of our most well-rounded students.  Take a chance and get involved today!!!

AYP

Many of you have heard that this year Henley, and a number of other county and state middle schools, fell short in our goal of achieving something called "Adequate Yearly Progress" or AYP.  When people hear this, most immediately think that there must be some big problems with the school system or with a particular school if they can't make the grade that the Federal Department of Education has set for them.  So let me share some data on Henley's AYP performance (most of which is measured via SOL testing results).  This year Henley had 96% of our students pass their reading tests, 95% passed their math tests, 95% passed writing, 93% passed history and 96% passed science.  Hardly what I would consider failing scores, yet we did not make AYP.  Why is that you ask?  In order for a school to be considered to have made AYP, the school must meet twenty-nine different student achievement benchmarks.  This year, we had too few special education students pass their reading tests to make AYP.  We were close, but not quite close enough.  So--is Henley a failing school because it did not make AYP last year?  Absolutely not.  Our overall academic performance clearly places us among the highest achieving middle schools in the state of Virginia.  Do we have some more work to do to get even better?  You bet, and this is always going to be the case even if we achieve 100% SOL pass rates.  Every morning you send your children to an amazing school with a staff who's dedication to student achievement and learning is unparalleled.  Don't let the failure to make AYP fool you--Henley is a top tier school that will keep getting better every year. 

Reflections on the first day

I always love the first day of school.  There is such a sense of excitement and promise about what the year will bring to us.  Students show up with new supplies and positive attitudes, ready to meet their new teachers and to reconnect with old friends. 

One thing that really stands out to me at the beginning of each year at Henley is this--our students love being here.  Now, they may have told you differently as summer drew to a close and the first day of school approached.  They may have complained that they didn't want to come back to homework and bell schedules and  report cards.  They may have put on a good front by pretending to not like coming back, but deep down, I know they were looking forward to it.  To see students reestablish relationships with their friends who they may not have seen since the spring was exciting.  As I watched their faces when they met their new teachers and they learned just how engaging their classes were going to be this year, I could tell that they felt at home at Henley.  When I watched the absolute elation of our new sixth graders when they finally succeeded in opening their lockers after a few failed attempts, I knew they wanted to be here.  When I heard the cacophony of the lunch room as students renewed their friendships and reached out to make friends with new students, I knew that everyone felt like they had come home to Henley. 

So, moms and dads, don't let them fool you  Kids may complain that they don't want to go to school, that the work is too hard, that they would rather be doing something else, but I can tell you first hand (and would invite any and all of you to come see it for yourself) that kids love Henley.  It's a testament to our staff, our school division, and to you as parents that your children see the value of what we do at Henley each day, and appreciate all of the opportunities before them.

It is certainly going to be a great year.