New Parent Information

Welcome to Henderson Middle School (HMS)!

A new school can be very confusing. We are here to help! Check out the Henderson Middle How to Guide for Students and Parents by clicking on the image to the left.  If you do not find what you need, email us at communications@hmsptsa.org. If we cannot answer your question, we will work to point you in the right direction.

Stay current on all Henderson Middle School official updates by connecting with the Principal.

Getting Started at HMS - Step by Step

1. Enroll your child in the county 'system' to get a Student ID.

2. Register your child at HMS

3. Confirm registration every August

4. Get connected with an Infinite Campus account and sign up for the PTSA weekly newsletter

5. Learn more about the school.

Note: Registration has to be completed by the parent or legal guardian. It cannot be done by a relative unless they have legal custody.

Step 1:  Online enrollment for students new to DeKalb Public Schools

• Documents needed to enroll your child: proof of birth, proof of residence, health records, transfer records, etc. Click here for more details. 
• If the primary language in your home is not English, your child was not born in the United States, your child is transferring from a school outside of the US or if your child has a foreign birth certificate and has not attended a DCSD school - you must schedule an appointment with the DeKalb International Welcome Center. They can be reached at (678) 538-5246 to set up virtual enrollment and language testing for your child. 

Step 2:   Registering your child at Henderson Middle School

• If your child attended a DCDS school that is not a feeder elementary school, contact your old school to get your child's records transferred.
• If you completed online registration, contact HMS for next steps.
• If your child comes from a feeder elementary school, your old school already completed this step for you.

Step 3.  Confirming Registration 

• Is your child a rising 7th grader? Make sure you have an updated proof of immunization to be ready for when in-person school resumes. There are several booster shots required by that age. Check with your doctor or contact a health clinic to learn more.

Step 4.  Getting Connected

1. Set up your Infinite Campus account (aka Parent Portal) - this is VERY IMPORTANT!
   • Important schools news is sent to the email in this account. Teachers may use it to contact you and the school uses the account to send messages by phone/text.
   • You can see schedules, grades, assignments, attendance and incomplete/missing schoolwork.
   • If you already have an Infinite Campus account, check your contact information to make sure it is up-to-date.
2. Join the PTSA! Become a full member, or simply sign up for the weekly newsletter.  

• Please note: HMS cannot share contact information with the PTSA, so be sure to sign up here so you can stay informed!
• PTSA stands for Parent-Teacher-Student-Association - very similar to Parent-Teacher-Association, however in middle school students take an active part, hence the 'S').
• Previous newsletters are archived on the PTSA website for easy reference.                                                                       

3. Follow us on Facebook! 

• If you are a Facebook user, join the Henderson Middle Parents Facebook Group for parent-to-parent tips, advice and resources. 

4. Help out! Learn more about volunteering here.

5. When virtual school starts:

• Ask your child's teachers how they prefer to communicate. You can also see teacher websites in the staff directory. 
• Find out from your teachers who the Team Parents are for your child's team - make sure they have your contact information. They are a great resource of information. Note: the team parent cannot get your contact information from the school - you will need to sign up for the PTSA separately. 

Step 5.  Learn about the school

1. Read about procedures!  The HMS Handbook can be located here.
2. Think about extracurricular activities! It’s a great way for new students to meet and have fun while still learning and exploring new things. HMS has a variety of clubs that meet before or after school. Some are training for competition, others are for exploration. Contact the teacher sponsor of the club to get your child signed up. If they don’t respond, email them again! Children can also talk to the sponsor themselves. 
3. Learn what all these words mean! Read the Glossary here. There is a lot of jargon in schools, this will help you figure it out.

Still confused? Send an email to the Henderson Middle School Parent Teacher Student Association (communications@hmsptsa.org) and let us know what you need. Our purpose is to help parents, teachers, and students connect so that HMS students succeed and thrive!

And please remember – there are no silly questions. Figuring out a new school is very complicated, there is a lot to learn, and it’s easy to miss things. We were all new to middle school at one time!

school resources

• See a map of the school
• Transportation (drop off, pick up, buses) 
• Glossary