News and Spotlights

South Hills Middle School 7th grade ELA teachers introduced an alternative approach to address the common challenge of maintaining updated reading logs for independent reading regarding a book of the students' choice. In lieu of the reading log, students are now given three choices to show their comprehension of the book: take a multiple choice test about the reading material, present a book talk in front of the class, or schedule a book conference with Media Specialist, Jill Rilley.

Dear South Hills School Community:

The first day of school is always an important moment. For some students, it is a return to a familiar community and for others, it is the beginning of an entirely new experience. Wherever your child is in that journey, our faculty and staff are ready to make sure every student feels welcomed, supported, and confident as they begin the 2026–27 school year.

The first day of school is Tuesday, September 8, and we will be a half day. Students will begin the school day at 8:25 a.m. and will be dismissed at 11:40 a.m.

Beginning Wednesday, September 9, students will attend full school days. Classes will begin at 8:25 a.m. and dismissal will be at 3:20 p.m. As a reminder, the main entrance of South Hills opens each morning at 8:05 a.m.

IMPORTANT: Please take a few minutes to read the full article below regarding our South Hills traffic maps and procedures for both morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up. Reviewing this information before the first day will help us ensure a safe and smooth start for everyone.

There is a great deal of important information included in this newsletter to help your family prepare for the school year. We encourage you to take some time to review the information and, as always, please reach out if you have questions or need assistance.

Enjoy these final days of summer. We are excited to welcome our students and families back to South Hills and look forward to a year filled with learning, connection, growth, and new opportunities.

Welcome back, Black Hawks. We are ready for a great year together!

“Take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.”
-Martin Luther King Jr.

 

Randy

Randy English
Principal
South Hills Middle School

 

Weekly Update

• Monday, September 7th NO SCHOOL - Labor Day
• Tuesday, September 8th   ½ Day Dismissal at 11:40am
• Wednesday, September 9th  B Day
• Thursday, September 10th  A Day  Chromebook Distribution Day
• Friday, September 11th  B Day  Picture Day

Dear South Hills Families,

As we begin the 2026–2027 school year, we want to make sure our students and families know the counselors who will be here to support them throughout the year. Our counselors play an important role in helping students navigate the academic, social, and personal experiences of middle school, and we are fortunate to have two outstanding counselors serving our South Hills community.

Kim Deptula 

• 6th Grade Counselor 
• 7th Grade Counselor for students with last names A–Li.

Laura Kesner 

• 8th Grade Counselor 
• 7th Grade Counselor for students with last names Lj–Z.

Please know that Kim and Laura are here to support not only our students, but also our families. Whether a student needs help navigating a challenge, thinking through academic goals, building positive relationships, or simply needs someone to talk with, our counseling team is an important part of the support system at South Hills.

We are excited to welcome everyone back for another great year. Thank you for partnering with us as we work together to help every student Belong Here and Excel Anywhere.

Have a wonderful school year!

Randy English
Principal
South Hills Middle School

Please Note: SHMS does not accept food deliveries for students from outside companies.  Students should either bring a lunch/snacks from home or utilize our cafeteria for purchasing food/snack items.  If a family member is dropping off items from a local restaurant / fast food chain, we ask that items are only purchased for their child. 

Please Note:

• SHMS does not accept DoorDash or similar delivery orders for students. Students may bring in lunches or snacks from fast food or carry-out restaurants, but these meals must be for individual use only. 
• Food cannot be brought in to share with other students, including for birthdays and other celebrations. This policy is in place to ensure the safety of all students, particularly those with food allergies and sensitivities, as it is difficult to monitor how food is prepared and what ingredients it may contain.

School starts promptly at 8:25 a.m.  Students cannot arrive/enter the building earlier than 8:05 a.m. unless they have a scheduled meeting with a staff member or participating in an assigned club or sport.  Between 8:05 a.m. and 8:15 a.m. students will be directed to the cafeteria as this will be a supervised space for students until the entire building is open at 8:15 a.m.  For the safety of all students, students may not remain in the building past 3:25 p.m. unless they are part of a supervised program such as a South Hills sports team, club, or other activity.

One Entrance Point Into the Building Before the Start of School

1. Staff will be at the main entrance at the front of the building to greet and support students during arrival.  These will be the only doors students can utilize to enter the building at the beginning of each school day.

 

Two Dismissal Points at the End of the School Day

1. Staff will be at the main entrance at the front of the building to support students during dismissal.

2. Staff will also be at the Athletic/Gym Entrance (adjacent to the pick-up / drop-off loop accessed from Wing Lake) to support students during dismissal.

• IMPORTANT: Student will only be allowed to use these two exit points at the end of each school day.  Utilizing the side doors or back parking lot doors (for staff use only) will not be permitted.

 

One Arrival and Dismissal Point During the School Day

1. The main entrance (front of the building) will be the only point of entrance during the actual school day.  Between 8:25 a.m. and 3:20 p.m., all visitors, late arrivals, and early dismissals will utilize the main entrance, and these doors will be monitored by main office staff.   

2. Families should not use the bus loop at anytime to drop off or pick up students

Our primary goal is to ensure the safety of all our students while also making the arrival and dismissal process as efficient as possible.  Thank you once again for your cooperation and patience. 

Please reference the map below of our campus to locate the car loops and bus loop. The car loops can be entered from Quarton Road and Wing Lake Road.  Families should not utilize the staff parking lot at the back of our building.  This area is for staff only and entrance ways can only be accessed with staff issued key fobs.  If you are able this weekend, visit the car loop BEFORE the first day of school to familiarize yourself with the layout and traffic flow.  Please visit this LINK to read more about the Do's and Don'ts of the South Hills Traffic Loops

The BHS Middle School Dress Code can be found on our district website. Thank you, families, in advance, for supporting the dress code and assisting us in achieving a welcoming and comfortable learning environment for our students.

We wish to maintain an educational environment with clear expectations around responsible electronic device usage that is devoid of unnecessary distractions and see the middle years as foundational for the development of lifelong habits. Thank you, families, in advance, for supporting the Electronic Devices Policy and assisting us in achieving an appropriate learning environment for our students. Please read the attached document carefully and continue the dialogue at home.

Electronic Device Usage Guidelines

All South Hills students will be issued a district-owned Chromebook for the entire school year.  This is the only device students should be using in school.  South Hills students are scheduled to receive their devices on Thursday, September 10 during the school day.

South Hills Middle School Picture Day will be on Friday, September 11. Once again, Lifetouch will be the company taking SHMS school pictures. Picture Retake Day is scheduled for Wednesday, October 21.  More details will be provided for our families in the weeks ahead.   Click HERE for the Lifetouch website 

The first day of school is Tuesday, September 8. Details about start times, transportation, free school breakfast and lunch, and more can be found on the back-to-school webpage.

Welcome to the First Day of School at South Hills Middle School!

Tuesday, September 8, 2026

The first day of school is always an exciting time, and we know it can also bring a few questions—especially for our students who are new to South Hills Middle School. Our staff will be ready to welcome students, help them find their way, and make sure everyone starts the year feeling comfortable and confident.

Where Should Students Go When They Arrive?

When students enter the building on Tuesday morning, administrators, teachers, counselors, and support staff will be stationed throughout the building to help direct students to their grade-level area.

Our grade level hallways are organized by color:

• 6th Grade – Red Hallway: Back/left side of the building
• 7th Grade – Blue Hallway: Back/right side of the building
• 8th Grade – Green Hallways: Center of the building

Once students arrive in their grade-level area, they will find teachers, counselors, and staff members ready to greet them and help them with whatever they need.

First Day Directions by Grade Level

6th Grade

6th grade students should report to the 6th Grade Commons, located at the back of the building just outside the 6th grade core classrooms.

Teachers will be waiting in the commons area to greet students and help them get started. This will be the easiest place for our newest South Hills students to find their teachers and begin their first day.

Our 6th grade teachers and staff will spend time helping students get comfortable, build relationships, and learn their way around the building. Students will also receive a paper copy of their full schedule and will have an opportunity to tour the building and locate their classrooms and other important spaces.

7th Grade

7th grade students should report directly to their 2nd-hour class.

If a student does not know where their 2nd hour class is located, no problem! Staff will be available to help, and lists will be posted in the 7th Grade Commons, located just outside the 7th grade core classrooms.

Please remind your 7th grader that asking for help is encouraged. We will have plenty of adults available to help students find their way.

8th Grade

8th grade students should report to the location listed below according to the first letter(s) of their last name. Schedules will be distributed at approximately 8:25 a.m.

A-Bh go to Watters (Room 820)

Bi-F go to Neuwirth (Room 817)

G-I to Middleton (Room 816)

J-Mat to Birkholz (Room 804)

Mau-Rod to Phou (Room 803)

Roe-To to Sloan (Room 802)

Tr-Z to Kucinski (Room 801)

 

A Morning Focused on Belonging

The first morning will be about much more than simply finding a classroom. We want every student to feel that they belong here.

Students will have time to connect with teachers and classmates, learn important information, ask questions, and become familiar with the building. Our staff will be especially visible throughout the first day, and throughout the first week, to help students navigate their schedules and surroundings. By the end of the first week, our goal is for every student to feel comfortable, confident, and ready to make South Hills their home.

We are incredibly excited to welcome our students back on Tuesday, September 8, and we can't wait to begin another great school year together.

Welcome Back, South Hills!

All students will be issued a locker in their grade-level hallway. Locker combinations are shared during our Open House and will again be shared with students on the first day of school (also available beginning Saturday, September 5 in Parent Portal). If your child is concerned about using a locker, please know our staff is here to help. A suggestion to support students who need assistance with their locker is to practice doing a combination pattern on a padlock prior to the start of the school year. Once school starts, our staff will be there to help as well!

Regarding locker decorations, students are allowed to decorate the INSIDE of their lockers.

• Not Allowed: Wallpaper (contact paper or any other type of paper to cover the inside of the locker) and stickers - please no sticky adhesive. Students should not use paint or markers to decorate the inside of their locker.
• Allowed: Magnets, small magnetic whiteboards, pictures, small swatches of carpeting, disco balls, and any other easily removed items.

South Hills is hosting a Locker Open House for all grade levels on Thursday, August 27th from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. During the Open House event, you will have the opportunity to:

• Obtain your child’s locker number & combination and practice your locker combination
• Have the opportunity to connect with building administration, counselors, and main office staff
• Receive PTO information and sign up for volunteer opportunities
• Familiarize yourself with our building

Authorization Forms for Prescription and Non-Prescription Medicines

Turn in completed medical forms and medicine to the front office. All medications, both prescription and non-prescription, must be stored and administered in the office and turned into the office in their original containers.

• Authorization for Prescription Medicine Form
• Authorization for Non-Prescription Medicine Form

Please Note:

• Middle School Schedules will NOT be handed out at our Open House event. 
• Middle school schedules will be viewable online in the MiStar Parent Portal on Saturday, September 5th.
• Our South Hills Open House is intended to be a true open house. There will be no formal presentations or tours.

SAVE TIME WHEN YOU COME IN TO COLLECT YOUR LOCKER INFORMATION

• If you complete Step 1 of registration before 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday, August 26th or the day before coming to South Hills, your child's name will show up on the list of "confirmed registrations" and you will be able to go directly to the line to pick up locker information.
• If you complete Step 1 of registration after 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday, August 26th or the day before coming to South Hills, confirmation will have to be done manually at a separate table before you can pick up locker information. Please plan extra time to go through both lines.

For additional support, please go to the following link to view the BHS Annual Registration Guide. Any questions pertaining to Annual Registration can be directed to enroll@bloomfield.org.

NOTE: Any residency requirements requested by the district must be turned in to Student Services prior to coming to South Hills to pick up locker information.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Can I get my child’s locker assignment before the South Hills Open House (Aug. 27)?

• Locker assignments will not be given out by office staff prior to the South Hills Open House (Aug. 27).

Can a family friend or other South Hills family be given my child's locker assignment?

• No. Locker assignment information will only be given out to a student or a student's parent/guardian. Middle school schedules and locker information will become viewable in MiStar Saturday, September 5th..

What if I cannot come to South Hills on the Open House day?

• If you have completed the registration process and are not able to come in during the South Hills Open House days, you have these options.
  • We have a dedicated make-up day on Friday, August. 28th from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
  • Wait for Saturday, September 5th for student schedules along with locker information to become viewable in MiStar

Decorating Lockers

All students will be issued a locker in their grade-level hallway. Locker combinations are shared during our Open House and will again be shared with students on the first day of school (also available beginning Saturday, September 5 in Parent Portal). If your child is concerned about using a locker, please know our staff is here to help. A suggestion to support students who need assistance with their locker is to practice doing a combination pattern on a padlock prior to the start of the school year. Once school starts, our staff will be there to help as well!

Regarding locker decorations, students are allowed to decorate the INSIDE of their lockers.

• Not Allowed: Wallpaper (contact paper or any other type of paper to cover the inside of the locker) and stickers - please no sticky adhesive. Students should not use paint or markers to decorate the inside of their locker.
• Allowed: Magnets, small magnetic whiteboards, pictures, small swatches of carpeting, disco balls, and any other easily removed items.

Please make sure to take the opportunity to register for the BHS District Visitor Aware system, before the start of the school year.  BHS Visitor Aware Registration